Gunnip had been called late in the
afternoon. It was now nearly six o'clock, and the third-floor
corner room was discussing the situation.

"I guess you'd better see Mr. Randolph to-morrow," Mrs. Albright
was saying.

"Why not make it this evening?" returned Polly. "She may not live
till morning!" Tears were in her voice.

"No, the Doctor didn't think she'd give out right away; he said she
might last a good while."

"Little he knows about it!" scorned Polly.

"Well, he said it right up and down!" put in Miss Crilly.

"It is too bad!" Polly drew a long, sighing breath. "I don't
believe she'd have had any heart trouble at all, if Miss Sniffen
hadn't made this fuss!"

"The excitement has no doubt aggravated it," commented Mrs.
Albright.

"Is that all Dr. Gunnip said, that she had heart disease?" queried
Polly.

"He didn't stay long enough to say anything!" sputtered Miss
Crilly. "He walked in and walked out--I wish I'd timed him!"

"You'd have had to look in a hurry," remarked Mrs. Albright quietly.

"Guess he's like a doctor my mother used to tell about," observed
Miss Crilly. "You had to catch hold of his coat-tails if you
wanted to ask him a question. And he never would have
consultation, no matter how sick anybody was. He said, one could
play on a fiddle better than two."

A quick little smile ran round the group; but nobody laughed. The
present question was too serious.

"Miss Twining didn't tell me much," resumed Mrs. Albright. "The
Doctor had just gone, and I was in a fidget for fear Miss Sniffen
would come back. But I could see that he had upset her completely.
I don't think, from what she did say, that he gave her any
particulars. He said she had got to be extremely careful. She
feels as if it was about over with her."

"I wish father could see her," fretted Polly. "He wouldn't
frighten her so, even if he did have to tell her that her heart was
in bad shape! I hate Dr. Gunnip worse than ever! Did he leave her
any medicine?"

"Oh, yes! I saw two little piles of tablets on the table."

"Likely as not they'll make her worse!" Polly got up. "I'm going
to see Mr. Randolph to-night!" she announced determinedly.

"No, no!" objected Mrs. Albright. "Wait until morning! It would
only excite her more to have another doctor now. She'd think she
was in a worse condition than she is."

"I'd wait if I were you," agreed Miss Sterling. "I think it will
be better all round."

"Wel