is not important, and I presume that your health is good."

"What is it that is not important?" demanded Miss Ludington.

"Why that she should have a name," replied the doctor, lifting his
eyebrows with an expression of slight surprise. "Unfortunately, the
courts do not recognize such a relation as exists between you and this
young lady. You are the only Miss Ludington in the eye of the law, and
she is non-existent, or, at least, an anonymous person. She has not so
much as a name sign on a hotel-register. But so long as you live to look
after her she is not likely to suffer."

"But I may die!" exclaimed Miss Ludington.

"In that case it would be rather awkward for her," said the doctor. "She
would die with you in the eye of the law" and here he branched off into
rather a fantastical discourse on the oddities and quiddities of the law
and lawyers, against whom he seemed to have a great grudge.

"But, Dr. Hull, what can I do about it?" said Miss Ludington, as he
quieted down.

"Excuse me. About what?"

"How can I give her a name in the eye of the law?"

"Oh--ah--exactly? Well, that's easy enough; there are two ways. You can
adopt her, or some young fellow can marry her, and if I were a young
man--if you'll excuse an old gentleman for the remark--it would not be my
fault if she were not provided with a legal title very soon."

Declining Miss Ludington's proposal to send him to the ferry in her
carriage, the doctor, soon after, took his leave.

He paused as he passed the croquet-ground and stood watching the players.
It came Ida's turn, and he waited to see her play. It was a very easy
shot which she had to make; she missed it badly. He bade them
good-evening, and went on.

CHAPTER XII.

It was but a few days after Dr. Hull's visit that Miss Ludington had a
sudden illness, lasting several days, which, during its crisis, caused
much alarm.

Ida turned all the servants out of the sick-room and constituted herself
nurse, watcher, and chambermaid, if she lay down at all it was only after
leaving a substitute charged to call her upon the slightest occasion.
Light and quick of step, strong and gentle of hand, patient, tireless,
and tender, she showed herself an angel of the sick-room.

There was, indeed, something almost eager in the manner in which she
seized upon this opportunity of devoting herself to Miss Ludington, and
the zeal with which she made the most of every possibility of rendering
her a s