servant--and the mistress was a stranger to me."

At Doctor Allday's age a man is not easily discouraged by reproof, even
when it is administered by a handsome woman. "I thought you might have
known Miss Emily's father," he persisted.

Miss Jethro rose, and wished him good-morning. "I must not occupy any
more of your valuable time," she said.

"Suppose you wait a minute?" the doctor suggested.

Impenetrable as ever, he rang the bell. "Any patients in the
waiting-room?" he inquired. "You see I have time to spare," he resumed,
when the man had replied in the negative. "I take an interest in this
poor girl; and I thought--"

"If you think that I take an interest in her, too," Miss Jethro
interposed, "you are perfectly right--I knew her father," she added
abruptly; the allusion to Emily having apparently reminded her of the
question which she had hitherto declined to notice.

"In that case," Doctor Allday proceeded, "I want a word of advice. Won't
you sit down?"

She took a chair in silence. An irregular movement in the lower part of
her veil seemed to indicate that she was breathing with difficulty. The
doctor observed her with close attention. "Let me see my prescription
again," he said. Having added an ingredient, he handed it back with a
word of explanation. "Your nerves are more out of order than I supposed.
The hardest disease to cure that I know of is--worry."

The hint could hardly have been plainer; but it was lost on Miss
Jethro. Whatever her troubles might be, her medical adviser was not made
acquainted with them. Quietly folding up the prescription, she reminded
him that he had proposed to ask her advice.

"In what way can I be of service to you?" she inquired.

"I am afraid I must try your patience," the doctor acknowledged, "if I
am to answer that question plainly."

With these prefatory words, he described the events that had followed
Mrs. Mosey's appearance at the cottage. "I am only doing justice to this
foolish woman," he continued, "when I tell you that she came here, after
she had left Miss Emily, and did her best to set matters right. I went
to the poor girl directly--and I felt it my duty, after looking at her
aunt, not to leave her alone for that night. When I got home the next
morning, whom do you think I found waiting for me? Mrs. Ellmother!"

He stopped--in the expectation that Miss Jethro would express some
surprise. Not a word passed her lips.

"Mrs. Ellmother's object was to ask