ank you, I do not need any," replied her visitor, as he began to take
from his bag all kinds of terrible looking surgical instruments, and
laid them on the table.

In spite of the terror within her, Millicent tried to turn his attention
from his bag, speaking of all kinds of general subjects as fast as they
came to her mind, but though he answered her politely, it was with
evident irritation, and he seemed to get more excitable every minute.

"This will never do," she thought, "I must humour him," and with sinking
heart she ventured on her next question.

"What is this wonderful discovery, Mr. Wharton? if I may ask."

"Certainly, madam. It is a permanent cure for deafness."

Millicent began to breathe more freely as the thought passed through her
mind "then it can't affect Mollie," for she forgot for a moment that
her guest was not a sane man. Again his eye rested on Mollie, and he
rose from his chair.

"The cure is a certain one," he said, "the right ear must be amputated,
and the passages thoroughly scraped, but I will show you," and he took a
step towards Mollie.

Millicent's face blanched.

"But Mollie is not deaf," she said; "it will hardly do to operate on
her."

"It will prevent her ever becoming so, madam, and prevention is better
than cure," and he stepped back to the table to select an instrument.

The mother's presence of mind did not desert her--though her legs
trembled so violently that she feared her visitor would see her terror.

"It would be a very good thing to feel sure of that," she said. "You
will want a firm table, of course, and good light. You might be
interrupted here. I will show you a better room for the operation."

"Thank you, madam, and I shall require plenty of hot water and towels."

"Certainly," said Millicent, and leading him to the hall, she directed
him to a room which had at one time been fitted as a laundry, and in
which was an ironing bench.

With sinking heart, she followed him to the top of the house--pointing
the way through two attics into a third.

"I will just leave you to arrange your things while I get hot water and
towels, and put on Mollie's nightdress," she said, and closing the door,
turned the key. It grated noisily, but the visitor was too much occupied
to notice it, and rushing through the other rooms, Millicent locked both
doors, and fled downstairs.

Snatching her little one in her arms, she hurried through the
garden--pausing at the gate to shift