othing, except there would always be that mystery hanging over her.
Don't you think it would be very unpleasant not to know who you were or
even your father's name?"

"I am a living example to the contrary," said the doctor with a laugh.
"My father and mother were really my adopted parents. They took me out
of an orphan asylum when I was a little lad about five years old. I
remember it vividly. Afterwards they had other children, but they
always treated me like a beloved eldest son. I never knew any difference
and I never bothered my head about my real parents. Whoever they were,
they had died or shuffled me off on an institution. My adopted mother
was the finest woman I have ever known and if Hume isn't my real name,
it doesn't matter. I shall do everything I can to make it an honored
one."

"You are a wonderful man, doctor," exclaimed Billie, quite overcome by
this bit of confidence about his past. "It was because you were so fine
that they were good to you. Perhaps God picked you out from all the
other orphans to have a good home because he saw what fine material
there was in you."

"No indeed, my dear young lady," laughed the doctor. "It was just a
matter of chance. The little orphans were like the two women sitting in
the market place. The one was taken and the other left. If they chose me
for anything, it was solely and entirely because I had brown eyes."

"You may say what you please," protested Billie. "They looked deeper
than that, I am certain."

"Simply luck, Miss Billie. I have always been lucky. The fellows at
college called me 'Lucky Bill.' But to return to the original subject of
the discussion: I don't want to disappoint an unselfish, fine young
woman like you,--you see I can pay compliments, too,----" he added,
watching the flush of pleasure mount to Billie's face; "I don't want to
make any promises about this man I can't carry out, but I promise this
much: I will do what I can."

"Thank you a thousand times, Dr. Hume," said Billie gratefully. "I would
just like to shake hands with you if I could, but you see I have to
guide the 'Comet.' It will be a wonderful thing to give a man back his
senses after eighteen years."

"Maybe so; maybe not," answered the doctor as the car turned into the
village street.

They stopped in front of the only hostelry in the place, a cheap
two-story wooden house with a horse trough in front of it. Here usually
could be found several guides for camping trips and dri