n fingers. Had it been the hand
of a dying man, or of one in a raging fever, that imprisoned hers,
Rachel would not have felt the repulsion that she did at a touch
which betrayed to her only too well that the toucher's illness was
counterfeited. She could hardly restrain the impulse to dash away the
loathsome hand, as she would a toad that had fallen upon her, but she
swiftly remembered, as she had in hundreds of other instances since she
had been in the hospital, that she was no longer in her own parlor, but
in a public place, with scores of eyes noting every movement, and
that such an act of just disdain would probably be misunderstood,
and possibly be ruinous to a belief in her genuine sympathy with the
misfortunes of the sick which she had labored so heroically to build up.

She strove to release her fingers quietly, but at this Alspaugh's
paroxysm became intense. He clung the tighter to her, and kneaded her
fingers in a way that was almost maddening. Never in all her life had
a man presumed to take such a familiarity with her. But her woman's wit
did not desert her. With her disengaged hand she felt for and took out a
large pin that fastened a bit of lace to her throat, with the desperate
intent to give her tormentor a sly stab that would change the current of
his thoughts.

But at the moment of carrying this into effect something caused her to
look up, and she saw Dr. Denslow standing before her, with an amused
look in his kindly, hazel eyes.

She desisted from her purpose and restored the pin to its place
in obedience to a sign from him, which told her that he thoroughly
understood the case, and had a more effective way of dealing with it
than the thrust of a pin point.

"I'm very much afraid that this is a dangerous case we have here, Miss
Bond," he said in a stage whisper, as if very anxious that the patient
should not overhear. "Yes, a very dangerous case."

Jake grew pale, released Rachel's hand, turned over on his side and
groaned.

"Do you really think so, Doctor?" said Rachel in the same tone.

"Yes, really. It's as clear a case of de gustibus non disputandum as I
ever saw in my life."

"O, Lordie, hev I got all of that?" asked Jake, as he sat bolt upright,
with eyes starting.

"It is my unpleasant duty to tell you that you certainly have," said the
Doctor, gravely. "As plainly indicated as I ever saw it. Furthermore,
it is seriously complicated with fiat justitia ruat caelum, with strong
hints