ary, neat and quiet."

"You've made a mistake," said Sally decidedly. "She can't have been like
that. I shall have to look into this. It does seem hard that I can't go
away for a few weeks without all my friends taking to beds of sickness
and all my brothers getting ensnared by vampires."

A knock at the door interrupted her complaint. Mrs. Meecher entered,
ushering in a pleasant little man with spectacles and black bag.

"The doctor to see you, Mr. Faucitt." Mrs. Meecher cast an appraising
eye at the invalid, as if to detect symptoms of approaching
discoloration. "I've been telling him that what I think you've gotten is
this here new Spanish influenza. Two more deaths there were in the paper
this morning, if you can believe what you see..."

"I wonder," said the doctor, "if you would mind going and bringing me a
small glass of water?"

"Why, sure."

"Not a large glass--a small glass. Just let the tap run for a few
moments and take care not to spill any as you come up the stairs. I
always ask ladies, like our friend who has just gone," he added as the
door closed, "to bring me a glass of water. It keeps them amused and
interested and gets them out of the way, and they think I am going to do
a conjuring trick with it. As a matter of fact, I'm going to drink it.
Now let's have a look at you."

The examination did not take long. At the end of it the doctor seemed
somewhat chagrined.

"Our good friend's diagnosis was correct. I'd give a leg to say it
wasn't, but it was. It is this here new Spanish influenza. Not a bad
attack. You want to stay in bed and keep warm, and I'll write you out a
prescription. You ought to be nursed. Is this young lady a nurse?"

"No, no, merely..."

"Of course I'm a nurse," said Sally decidedly. "It isn't difficult,
is it, doctor? I know nurses smooth pillows. I can do that. Is there
anything else?"

"Their principal duty is to sit here and prevent the excellent and
garrulous lady who has just left us from getting in. They must also be
able to aim straight with a book or an old shoe, if that small woolly
dog I met downstairs tries to force an entrance. If you are equal to
these tasks, I can leave the case in your hands with every confidence."

"But, Sally, my dear," said Mr. Faucitt, concerned, "you must not waste
your time looking after me. You have a thousand things to occupy you."

"There's nothing I want to do more than help you to get better. I'll
just go out and send a wire,