p of brownish fur. As Cicely entered, the dog looked up
with a bland smile; but the smile changed to a snarl, as she came near
and stooped to view the ruin he had wrought. Then he rose, gripped his
booty in his sinful little teeth, and trotted before her to the library
door. On the threshold, he appeared to come to a sudden realization that
justice was in store for him. His mien changed. The pointed, silky little
ears drooped, and walking on three legs, stiffly and as if with infinite
difficulty, he preceded his mistress to the fireside and laid the severed
ear of the tiger on the floor at Theodora's feet, while Cicely exclaimed
penitently,--

"Cousin Theodora, what will you do with us? It's bad enough to have me
stranded on your threshold, without having Melchisedek hunting big game
in your front hall."

The words were flippant; but the tears were near the surface. Billy
interposed, for he saw Theodora's color come, and he knew that the rug,
his own contribution to her college room, was one of her dearest
possessions. He shook his head at the six-pound culprit who stood before
him, waggling his stumpy tail in smug satisfaction over the success of
his undertaking.

"Change his name to Nimrod, Cis," he said gravely; "and send for Babe to
mend her first emergency case."

CHAPTER SEVEN

"Where is Babe?" Dr. McAlister asked, one noon in late May.

"Here." Phebe's voice came from the piazza outside.

"Can you ride over to Bannook Bars, this afternoon?"

"Yes, I suppose so. What for?"

"As substitute for me. Mrs. Richardson has consumed all her pills, and
she wants some more."

"Why doesn't she get them, then? You're not an apothecary."

"She refuses to take them, unless I inspect them personally. These are
the patients who try one's soul, Babe. I would rather deal with Asiatic
cholera than with one fussy old woman with a digestion. They eat hot
bread and fried steak, and then they eat pepsin."

"Start a cooking crusade," Phebe suggested lazily. "Well, I'll go."

"Thank you. You need the ride anyway; it will do you good, for you have
been working too hard lately. I don't want my apprentice to wear herself
out." The doctor patted her shoulder with a fatherly caress; then he
turned to go into the house.

"Give me leave to prescribe for Mrs. Richardson?" she called after him.

"Yes, I make her over to you, and you can date your first case from this
afternoon," he answered.

"No; I'd rather have someth