ly. No sleep
since twelve o'clock last night, you say?"

"Not a wink, 'n' actin' as ef she was possessed a good deal o' the time.
You read your Bible, Doctor, don't you? You're pious? Do you remember
about that woman in Scriptur' out of whom the Lord cast seven devils?
Well, I should ha' thought there was seventy devils in that gal last
night, from the way she carr'd on. And now she lays there jest as
peaceful as a new-born babe,--that is, accordin' to the sayin' about
'em; for as to peaceful new-born babes, I never see one that come t'
anything, that did n't screech as ef the haouse was afire 'n' it wanted
to call all the fire-ingines within ten mild."

The Doctor smiled, but he became thoughtful in a moment. Did he possess
a hitherto unexercised personal power, which put the key of this young
girl's nervous system into his hands? The remarkable tranquillizing
effect of the contact of his hand with her forehead looked like an
immediate physical action.

It might have been a mere coincidence, however. He would not form an
opinion until his next visit.

At that next visit it did seem as if some of Nurse Byloe's seventy
devils had possession of the girl. All the strange spasmodic movements,
the chokings, the odd sounds, the wild talk, the laughing and crying,
were in full blast. All the remedies which had been ordered seemed to
have been of no avail. The Doctor could hardly refuse trying his quasi
magnetic influence, and placed the tips of his fingers on her forehead.
The result was the same that had followed the similar proceeding the
day before,--the storm was soon calmed, and after a little time she fell
into a quiet sleep, as in the first instance.

Here was an awkward affair for the physician, to be sure! He held
this power in his hands, which no remedy and no other person seemed to
possess. How long would he be chained to her; and she to him, and
what would be the consequence of the mysterious relation which must
necessarily spring up between a man like him, in the plenitude of vital
force, of strongly attractive personality, and a young girl organized
for victory over the calmest blood and the steadiest resistance?

Every day after this made matters worse. There was something almost
partaking of the miraculous in the influence he was acquiring over her.
His "Peace, be still!" was obeyed by the stormy elements of this young
soul, as if it had been a supernatural command. How could he resist the
dictate of hum