are also enjoying a holiday. I think I must
send you for Dr. Mayflower. The wagonette is still at the door. Drive at
once to town, my dear, and ask the coachman to take you to No. 10, The
Parade. If you are very quick, you will catch Dr. Mayflower before he
goes out on his afternoon rounds."

Hester glanced for half an instant at Nan, but her eyes were again
closed.

"I will take the best care of her," said the governess in a kind voice;
"don't lose an instant, dear."

Hester snatched up her hat and flew down stairs. In a moment she was in
the wagonette, and the driver was speedily urging his horses in the
direction of the small town of Sefton, two miles and a half away. Hester
was terrified now--so terrified, in such an agony, that she even forgot
Annie; her hatred toward Annie became of secondary importance to her. All
her ideas, all her thoughts, were swallowed up in the one great
hope--Should she be in time to reach Dr. Mayflower's house before he set
off on his afternoon rounds? As the wagonette approached Sefton she
buried her face in her hands and uttered a sharp inward cry of agony.

"Please God, let me find the doctor!" It was a real prayer from her heart
of hearts. The wagonette drew up at the doctor's residence, to discover
him stepping into his brougham. Hester was a shy child, and had never
seen him before; but she instantly raised her voice, and almost shouted
to him:

"You are to come with me; please, you are to come at once. Little Nan is
ill--she is hurt. Please, you are to come at once."

"Eh! young lady?" said the round-faced doctor "Oh! I see; you are one of
the little girls from Lavender House. Is anything wrong there, dear?"

Hester managed to relate what had occurred; whereupon the doctor
instantly opened the door of the wagonette.

"Jump out, young lady," he said; "I will drive you back in my brougham.
Masters," addressing his coachman, "to Lavender House."

Hester sat back in the soft-cushioned carriage, which bowled smoothly
along the road. It seemed to her impatience that the pace at which they
went was not half quick enough--she longed to put her head out of the
window to shout to the coachman to go faster. She felt intensely provoked
with the doctor, who sat placidly by her side reading a newspaper.

Presently she saw that his eyes were fixed on her. He spoke in his
quietest tones.

"We always take precisely twenty minutes to drive from the Parade to
Lavender House--twenty minu