id Mrs Gowler, as she thrust herself between the
doctor and the bed.

Mavis put the shilling in her hand, at which the landlady left the
room, to be quickly followed by the doctor, who seemed equally eager to
go. Mavis, with aching head, wondered if the evening post would bring
her the letter she hungered for from North Kensington.

An hour later, a note was thrust beneath her door. She got out of bed
to fetch it, to read the following, scrawled with a pencil upon a
soiled half sheet of paper:--

"Don't you go and be a fool and have no more of Piggy's doctors. He
isn't a doctor at all, and is nothing more than a coal merchant's
tally-man, who got the sack for taking home coals in the bag he carried
his dinner in. My baby is all right, but he squints. Does yours?--I
remain yours truly, the permannente, MILLY BURT."

Anger possessed Mavis at the trick Mrs Gowler had played in order to
secure a further shilling from her already attenuated store, an emotion
which increased her distress of mind. When Mrs Gowler brought in the
midday meal, which to-day consisted of fried fish and potatoes from the
neighbouring fried fish shop, Mavis said:

"If that man comes here again, I'll order him out."

"The doctor!" gasped Mrs Gowler.

"He's an impostor. He's no doctor."

"'E's as good as one any day, an' much cheaper."

"How dare he come into my room! I shall stop the shilling out of my
bill."

"You will, will yer! You try it on," cried Mrs Gowler defiantly.

"I believe he could be prosecuted, if I told the police about it,"
remarked Mavis.

At the mention of "police," Mrs Gowler's face became rigid. She
recovered herself and picked out for Mavis the least burned portion of
fish; she also gave her a further helping of potatoes, as she said:

"We won't quarrel over that there shillin', an' a cup o' tea is yours
whenever you want it."

Mavis smiled faintly. She was beginning to discover how it paid to
stick up for herself.

As the comparative cool of the evening succeeded to the heat of the
day, Mavis's agitation of mind was such that she could scarcely remain
in bed. The fact of her physical helplessness served to increase the
tension in her mind, consequently her temperature. She feared what
would happen to her already over-taxed brain should she not receive the
letter she desired. When she presently heard the postman's knock at the
door, her heart beat painfully; she lay in an immense suspense, with
her hands press