idea.

"You see," he cried quickly, "you cannot even finish your sentence. You
have forgotten what you were going to say."

"No," she replied promptly, "I was just thinking--something flashed
across my mind. Dr. Zacharie, you were sent here by Uncle James to watch
me."

"To watch you?" he echoed with well-simulated surprise.

"Yes," she said firmly. "To watch me--am I right?"

He shrugged his shoulders.

"Your uncle is anxious about you, of course--why not? You have said many
strange things about him. He is actually afraid for you, and for
himself. It's natural enough. But come, don't let us speak of him. That
is the one subject that we should never mention before you. It is
your--your--what shall I call it--that the non-scientific person may
understand?"

Paula paced nervously up and down the room. What did these insinuations
mean? What was the real object of this ambiguous questioning? She was
about to retort angrily, when the door opened, and to her great relief
Mrs. Parkes entered.

"Oh, I beg your pardon," said the landlady, about to withdraw.

"Don't go, please," cried Paula, going forward. "I want to see you, Mrs.
Parkes. Dr. Zacharie is just going." Turning to dismiss him without
further ceremony, she said curtly: "Good-by, doctor. Please thank my
uncle, and tell him I don't need medical attention."

Dr. Zacharie rose and bowed. He understood that he was unceremoniously
dismissed, but he was not the kind of man to easily lose his sangfroid.

"As you wish," he said, as he rose and went toward the door, "but you
will be careful--won't you?" Impressively he added:

"Remember--there is danger--great danger of total collapse. Your nerves
need watching. The slightest imprudence----"

"Lord sakes, doctor, you're not very comforting!" cried Mrs. Parkes.

"I always tell my patients the truth," replied the doctor. "It is
better."

"Then I'm glad I'm not your patient," retorted the landlady promptly.
"Give me the good, cheerful lie that comforts, even if it ain't true. My
experience with Parkes taught me that, Paula-- I was only happy when he
was lying to me."

"Well, I have warned you, Miss Marsh," repeated the doctor, "take care!"

Paula bowed haughtily.

"Thank you--good-by," she said icily.

Dr. Zacharie opened the door and disappeared.

"Phew! Isn't he the Job's comforter!" exclaimed Mrs. Parkes. Looking
suddenly at Paula, she said:

"Lord sakes, child, how pale you are!"

Paula was visib