y, "and what can I
do for you to-day? Nothing wrong at home, I hope."

"Oh, no, sir," said Winifred, half her fears vanishing at the sound of
the doctor's kind voice; "father and mother are very well. I've had a
cold, but I'm all right again now. I come--that is, I want--oh, Dr.
Bell, will you please do me a very great favor?"

"Do you a favor?" the doctor repeated, still smiling, and sitting down
beside her on the sofa. "Yes indeed, I will--that is, if I can. What is
it?"

"It's to go and see Mrs. Randall, who lives in our apartment house,"
Winifred explained timidly. "She's a very nice lady, but she hasn't any
money to pay a doctor with. She's very ill indeed, but she told
Betty--that's her little girl, you know--not to send for a doctor,
because she couldn't afford it."

The doctor looked a little puzzled.

"Perhaps she wouldn't care to see me then," he said, "if she objected to
having a doctor sent for."

"Oh, yes, she would," said Winifred earnestly, "at least she wouldn't
know anything about it, and Betty and Jack would be so very glad. Jack
is a cripple, he can't walk at all; and, oh, it's dreadful to see him so
unhappy. Mrs. Randall is really very ill. She doesn't know Betty and she
keeps talking to herself the way people in books do when they're
delirious.

"I said I'd come and tell you about it, and I was sure you'd come,
because Lulu says you're so very kind."

The doctor smiled, but he was beginning to look really interested.

"Did your mother send you for me?" he asked.

Winifred's eyes sank.

"N--no, sir," she faltered, "mother's out shopping, and doesn't know
anything about it. Perhaps I oughtn't to have come, but I didn't know
what else to do, and I was so very sorry for Betty and Jack."

Winifred's lip quivered, and two big tears rolled slowly down her
cheeks. The doctor patted her shoulder kindly.

"You did quite right to come," he said, "and I will go to see your
friend to-day."

"Will you please go just as soon as you can?" Winifred asked eagerly.

The doctor rose and looked at his watch.

"It is half-past ten now," he said. "I have to stay in my office till
eleven, and then I have one or two serious cases to see, but I will be
at Mrs. Randall's as early as I possibly can."

"Now run along home, and if your mother makes any objections, tell her I
said you did quite right to come, and that I am very glad you did."

"Oh, thank you, sir, thank you very much indeed," said Winifred