eginning
to dawn upon him, and he admired the fine temper and self-control with
which the young physician pulled himself together and rose.

"_I_ am glad you are well, Jewel, very," he said; "but the next time I
am called to prescribe for a little Christian Scientist I shall put
the pellets on her tongue." He smiled as he took up his case and said
good-by.

Mr. Evringham followed him down the stairs, heroically resisting the
impulse to laugh. Only one remark he allowed himself as he bade the
doctor good-by.

"You're quite right, Ballard, in your theory. Jewel has been here only
three days, but I could have told you that in doing anything whatever
for her, it is always absolutely necessary to consider the personal
equation."

CHAPTER XIII

IN THE LIBRARY

As Mr. Evringham turned from the closed door he met his daughter-in-law
coming out into the hall.

"I've been watching for Dr. Ballard," she said with annoyance. "I don't
see why I didn't hear him come down." At this juncture she paused,
surprised to observe that her father-in-law was laughing. She attributed
this unusual ebullition to ridicule of herself.

"I only wanted to ask if Julia's illness is infectious," she went on
with dignity. "Eloise and I are naturally very anxious. We should like
to do anything for her we can, if it is quite safe."

"Madam, don't, I pray, for all our sakes, run any risk," returned Mr.
Evringham, his lips still twitching as he bowed mockingly.

"It would be very foolish," answered Mrs. Evringham, unabashed. "You
wouldn't care to have more invalids on your hands. It has been all I
could do to keep Eloise away from the sick room to-day."

"Is it possible!" commented Mr. Evringham, smoothing his mustache.

"Not only possible but true, and I wished to go to headquarters and find
out the exact state of the case."

Again the broker's shoulders began to shake.

"Ballard isn't headquarters," he replied.

Mrs. Evringham regarded him, startled. She wondered if affairs were
perhaps very serious, and her father-in-law's nerves overstrained.
She knew that he had dispensed with the afternoon ride which was so
important to him.

She grew a shade paler. "I wish you would tell me, father, just what the
doctor said," she begged.

Mr. Evringham raised a protesting hand. "I couldn't think of it," he
laughed. "It would give me apoplexy."

His daughter-in-law began to retreat, and the broker passed her and went
into his study, still