the excitement yet, you see. He's had no
experience, poor fellow, so he doesn't know how to behave," observed
Steve, regarding his bouquet with tender interest.

"That's true, and I asked for information because I may be in love
myself someday and all this will be useful, don't you see?"

"You in love!" And Steve could not restrain a laugh at the idea of the
bookworm a slave to the tender passion.

Quite unruffled, Mac leaned his chin in both hands, regarding them with
a meditative eye as he answered in his whimsical way: "Why not? I intend
to study love as well as medicine, for it is one of the most mysterious
and remarkable diseases that afflict mankind, and the best way to
understand it is to have it. I may catch it someday, and then I should
like to know how to treat and cure it."

"If you take it as badly as you did measles and whooping cough, it will
go hard with you, old fellow," said Steve, much amused with the fancy.

"I want it to. No great experience comes or goes easily, and this is the
greatest we can know, I believe, except death."

Something in Mac's quiet tone and thoughtful eyes made Rose look at him
in surprise, for she had never heard him speak in that way before. Steve
also stared for an instant, equally amazed, then said below his breath,
with an air of mock anxiety: "He's been catching something at the
hospital, typhoid probably, and is beginning to wander. I'll take him
quietly away before he gets any wilder. Come, old lunatic, we must be
off."

"Don't be alarmed. I'm all right and much obliged for your advice, for I
fancy I shall be a desperate lover when my time comes, if it ever does.
You don't think it impossible, do you?" And Mac put the question so
soberly that there was a general smile.

"Certainly not you'll be a regular Douglas, tender and true," answered
Rose, wondering what queer question would come next.

"Thank you. The fact is, I've been with Archie so much in his trouble
lately that I've gotten interested in this matter and very naturally
want to investigate the subject as every rational man must, sooner or
later, that's all. Now, Steve, I'm ready." And Mac got up as if the
lesson was over.

"My dear, that boy is either a fool or a genius, and I'm sure I should
be glad to know which," said Aunt Plenty, putting her bonbons to rights
with a puzzled shake of her best cap.

"Time will show, but I incline to think that he is not a fool by any
means," answered the girl, pull