and of a figure to appeal to the feminine eye.

Then she was guilty of a most reprehensible act of slyness. She turned
full upon him the batteries of her lustrous dark eyes, and smiled
dazzlingly, bewitchingly.

"I came to see Dr. Leonard," she said in a tone that made one think
of dripping honey. "And I object to being turned over to an
assistant--at least before consulting me."

Utterly at variance with all precedent, the bewitching look produced
no effect whatever. The man bowed gravely, pressed a bell-button, and
then went over to where Miss Willis was sitting. Before he could
speak--if he had any such intention--a girl in starched cap and apron
appeared in answer to his ring.

"Miss Willis has concluded not to remain," he informed the maid. "Show
Number Twenty-seven into Room Four. Inform her that I will see her in
two minutes." Producing his watch, he deliberately marked the time.

He turned to Miss Willis in a moment, with an air which said as
plainly as words could have said it: "It's a terrible waste of
precious time, but if necessary I'll sacrifice the two minutes to
humoring any further caprices you may develop."

This was too much for the young lady's tranquillity: she laughed, and
laughed frankly.

"Pray tell me," she managed to say, "what _my_ number is."

Without the slightest alteration in his serious mien, he consulted a
list hanging beside his desk.

"Seven," he announced at length.

"Oh!"

"Why?" quickly. "Has there been some mistake?"

"No--oh, no"; Miss Willis was now perfectly composed. "I had a
feeling, though, that it must have been nearer seven thousand."

"It would be impossible, you know," the man patiently explained, "to
see that many patients in a day."

"Indeed? How interesting!" Her irony was unnoticed, and once more she
laughed. To tell the truth, if anybody could associate such a
frivolity with Miss Willis's dignity, she giggled.

She contemplated the man with undisguised curiosity. Naturally enough
she had met more men than she could even remember, but never one
anything like this particular specimen. To add to her quickened
interest, he was not only positively good-looking, but every line of
his face, the poise of his well-proportioned, upstanding figure, the
tilt of his head and the squareness of his chin, all spoke of
strength; of elemental strength, and of a purposeful, resolute
character. And, too, she told herself that he had nice eyes. The nice
eyes never wav