few hours, when you explain to her that it is a
necessity for me to resume my journey. You must see me back to the
carriage."

Persuasion was of no avail. Leaving Jessie in the vestibule for a few
moments, Hubert complied with her request. When he returned a moment
later, he found her in earnest conversation with the servant.

"Oh, Mr. Varrick-- Hubert!" Jessie cried excitedly. "You must go to your
mother at once. I hear she is very, very ill, and that all of the
servants, for some reason, have fled from the house. Even the nurse, for
some reason, refused to remain. Oh, Mr. Varrick!" she repeated, eagerly,
"let me go to her bedside and nurse her. She is out of her head, and
will never know."

Tears rushed to Varrick's eyes.

"You are an angel, Jessie!" he cried, kissing her hand warmly. "It shall
be as you wish. Follow me!"

They entered noiselessly. Mrs. Varrick was tossing restlessly to and fro
on a bed of pain. The family doctor was bending over her, with a look of
alarm in his face. Hubert stole softly to the bedside, Jessie following.

All in an instant, before the doctor could spring forward to prevent
them, both had suddenly bent down and kissed the sufferer repeatedly.

"Great God!" gasped the doctor, "the mischief has been done! I did not
have an instant's time to warn you. Your mother is alarmingly ill with
that dread disease, small-pox! I am forced to say to you that after what
has occurred--your contact with my patient, I shall be obliged to
quarantine you both."

"Great God!" Hubert cried, turning pale as death as he looked at
Jessie.

"Do not fear for me, Mr. Varrick," she said, "I am not afraid."

"For myself I do not care, for I passed through such a siege when I was
a child, and came out of it unscathed. But you, Jessie? Oh, it must not
be--it shall not be--that you, too, must suffer this dread contagion!"

"It is too late now for useless reflection. It would be better to face
the consequences than seek to avoid them. If it is destined that either
one of you should succumb to this disease, you could not avoid it,
believe me, though you flew to the other end of the world. Take it very
calmly, and hope for the best. Forget your danger, now that you are face
to face with it, and let us do our utmost to relieve my suffering
patient."

"He is right," said Jessie.

In this Hubert Varrick was forced to concur.

"Heaven bless you for your kindness!" he murmured.

The touch of those cool, sof