en despair and desperate hope, she was
maintaining, at first somewhat mechanically to be sure, a conversation
with her father, whom she had not seen since their early breakfast
together.

"How does the fever situation seem to-night?" she asked.

"Much better," said Doctor West. "There were fewer new cases reported
to-day than any day for a week."

"Then you are getting the epidemic under control?"

"I think we can at last say we have it thoroughly in hand. The number
of new cases is daily decreasing, and the old cases are doing well. I
don't know of an epidemic of this size on record where the mortality
has been so small."

She came out of her preoccupation and breathlessly demanded:

"Tell me, how is Elsie Sherman? I could not get around to see her
to-day."

He dropped his eyes to his plate and did not answer.

"You mean she is no better?"

"She is very low."

"But she still has a chance?"

"Yes, she has a chance. But that's about all. The fever is at its
climax. I think to-night will decide which it's to be."

"You are going to her again to-night?"

"Right after supper."

"Then I'll go with you," said Katherine. "Poor Elsie! Poor Elsie!" she
murmured to herself. Then she asked, "Have they had any word from
Doctor Sherman?"

"I asked his sister this afternoon. She said they had not."

They fell silent for a moment or two. Doctor West nibbled at his ham
with a troubled air.

"There is one feature of the case I cannot approve of," he at length
remarked "Of course the Shermans are poor, but I do not think Miss
Sherman should have impaired Elsie's chances, such as they are, from
motives of economy."

"Impaired Elsie's chances?" queried Katherine.

"And certainly she should not have done so without consulting me,"
continued Doctor West.

"Done what?"

"Oh, I forgot I had not had a chance to tell you. When I made my first
call this morning I learned that Miss Sherman had discharged the
nurse."

"Discharged the nurse?"

"Yes. During the night."

"But what for?"

"Miss Sherman said they could not afford to keep her."

"But with Elsie so dangerously sick, this is no time to economize!"

"Exactly what I told her. And I said there were plenty of friends who
would have been happy to supply the necessary money."

"And what did she say?"

"Very little. She's a silent, determined woman, you know. She said
that even at such a time they could not accept charity."

"But did you not insist upon