man, dressed in black, hurriedly came out; looked at Amelius; and
spoke to him as he stepped from the cab to the pavement.

"I beg your pardon, sir. May I ask if you are any relative of the lady
who lives in this house?"

"No relative," Amelius answered. "Only a friend, who brings good news to
her."

The stranger's grave face suddenly became compassionate as well as
grave. "I must speak with you before you go upstairs," he said, lowering
his voice as he looked at Sally, still seated in the cab. "You will
perhaps excuse the liberty I am taking, when I tell you that I am a
medical man. Come into the hall for a moment--and don't bring the young
lady with you."

Amelius told Sally to wait in the cab. She saw his altered looks, and
entreated him not to leave her. He promised to keep the house door open
so that she could see him while he was away from her, and hastened into
the hall.

"I am sorry to say I have bad, very bad, news for you," the doctor
began. "Time is of serious importance--I must speak plainly. You have
heard of mistakes made by taking the wrong bottle of medicine? The poor
lady upstairs is, I fear, in a dying state, from an accident of that
sort. Try to compose yourself. You may really be of use to me, if you
are firm enough to take my place while I am away."

Amelius steadied himself instantly. "What I can do, I will do," he
answered.

The doctor looked at him. "I believe you," he said. "Now listen. In this
case, a dose limited to fifteen drops has been confounded with a dose
of two table-spoonsful; and the drug taken by mistake is strychnine. One
grain of the poison has been known to prove fatal--she has taken three.
The convulsion fits have begun. Antidotes are out of the question--the
poor creature can swallow nothing. I have heard of opium as a possible
means of relief; and I am going to get the instrument for injecting it
under the skin. Not that I have much belief in the remedy; but I must
try something. Have you courage enough to hold her, if another of the
convulsions comes on in my absence?"

"Will it relieve her, if I hold her?" Amelius, asked.

"Certainly."

"Then I promise to do it."

"Mind! you must do it thoroughly. There are only two women upstairs;
both perfectly useless in this emergency. If she shrieks to you to be
held, exert your strength--take her with a firm grasp. If you only touch
her (I can't explain it, but it is so), you will make matters worse."

The servant ran do