dness. What did he say, child?"

"Nothing, aunt. It is hopeless--hopeless."

"Then I was right at first. He has gone quite out of his mind, and I
fully believe that it is our duty to have him put under restraint."

"Aunt!" cried Laura, wildly.

"Yes, my dear. That is the only cure for such a complaint as his. A
private asylum, Laury dear."

"Oh, aunt, impossible! How can you say anything so horrible?"

"My dearest child, nothing can be horrible that is to do a person good.
It is quite evident to me that he can no longer control his actions."

"No, he said so," sobbed Laura.

"Hah! I knew I was right. Well, then, my dear, we must think it over
seriously. You see, the weakness must have come on suddenly. How, he
and somebody else best know," said the lady, with asperity. "You see,
attacks like that are only temporary, and his would, I am sure, yield to
proper treatment. Now let me see what ought to be the first steps?
This is a valuable practice, if he has not completely wrecked it by his
wicked dissipation, and I think it ought to be our first duty, my dear,
to get a permanent _locum tenens_--a man of some eminence, who might be
induced to come if some hope were held out to him of a future
partnership. Then we could consult him about what to do, for I believe
certificates have to be obtained before a patient is sent to an asylum."

"Aunt! Are you going mad too?" cried Laura, angrily.

"Laura! my child!"

"Well, then, you should not say such horrid things about Fred. Consult
a perfect stranger about putting him into a lunatic asylum! Oh, shame!"

"Shame to you, Laura, for daring to speak to me as you do. Do you want
him to have one of those what-do-you-call-thems?--Para-para-para-dox--
no, no, paroxysms; and then do as mad people always do, turn against
those they love best? Do you want him to come some night and murder us
both in our beds?"

"No, aunt, of course not," said Laura, growing more cool and
matter-of-fact now.

"Then do not from any false sentiment begin to oppose me. A few months
under proper treatment in a good private asylum, and he would come back
completely strengthened and cured. Now, let me see; I think under the
circumstances that we ought first of all, my dear, to take poor dear
Isabel into our confidences."

"Aunt!" cried Laura; "if you dare to tell Isabel that you think such a
dreadful thing of poor Fred I don't know what I will not do."

"Dare, Laura, dare?" s