.

The change in his manner, when it came, almost took away her breath.
It was on the occasion of her last visit. After the familiar
preliminary examination, instead of proceeding at once with the
treatment, as had been his invariable custom, Dr. Carter walked over
to his desk and sat down. For a space he soberly regarded her.

"Miss Willis," said he, presently, "there is nothing whatever the
matter with your throat."

She gasped. This calm statement brought confusingly to her mind the
circumstance that she had forgotten her throat and its ailment, when,
of all considerations, the afflicted member should have been uppermost
in her mind. Dr. Carter had not, however, and he must be wondering why
she continued to come after the occasion to do so no longer existed.
He at once relieved her embarrassment, though.

"I suppose," he said, and she felt a thrill at the note of regret in
his voice, "that you will be glad to escape from this hive?"

"No, I shan't," she said, with unnecessary warmth. This involuntary
denial surprised even herself, and she blushed.

The smile left Dr. Carter's lips, but he said nothing--merely sat
looking at her in his grave way.

Here was to be another period, which Miss Willis could look back upon
as one of temporary inability to find words. She started to leave,
furious with herself for her inaptness, and instead of going she
paused and turned back.

Dr. Carter had risen; he was standing as she had left him. She drew a
card from her cardcase.

"You may think what you please of me, Dr. Carter," she said with
sudden impulse, extending the card and meeting his look steadily, "but
I would be glad if you were to call."

It seemed to take him a long time to read the address. All at once his
hands were trembling, and when he looked up the expression in the gray
eyes brought a swift tide of color to the girl's face, where it
deepened, and deepened, until she tingled from head to foot, and a
mist obscured her vision.

"Nothing in all this world would give me more pleasure," said the
man.

The girl turned and fled.

That very evening Dr. Carter availed himself of the invitation.
Singularly enough, since she had been hoping all the afternoon that he
would come, Clementine Willis was frightened when his name was
announced. Her hand was shaking when he took it in his; but there was
not a trace of expression on his face.

Miss Willis realized, for the first time, that she had been horribly
br