ething to help you and make you well."

"Did she?" said the sick woman; "then you won't kill me?"

"Kill you?--No, indeed. We are in hopes to make you comfortable and cure
you."

Mrs. Miller, who had been preparing a cup of tea, now drew near with it
in her hand. Gertrude took it and offered it to Nan, who drank eagerly
of it, staring at her over the edge of the cup. When she had finished,
she threw herself heavily upon the pillow, and began muttering some
indistinct sentences, the only distinguishable word being the name of
her son Stephen. Finding the current of her thoughts thus apparently
diverted, Gertrude now feeling in haste to return and relieve Dr.
Jeremy, who had so kindly agreed to stay with Mrs. Sullivan, moved a
little from the bedside, saying as she did so, "Good-bye, I will come
and see you again."

"You won't hurt me?" said Nan, starting up.

"Oh, no. I will bring you something you will like."

"Don't bring Gerty here with you! I don't want to see her."

"I will come alone," replied Gertrude.

Nan now laid down, and did not speak again while Gertrude remained in
the house, though she watched her steadily until she was outside the
door. Mr. Cooper made no objection to accompanying his young guide, and
though the severity of the storm was such that they did not escape a
thorough wetting, they reached home in safety.

Dr. Jeremy, seated with his feet upon the fender, had the contented
appearance of one who is quite at home. He had been talking with Mrs.
Sullivan about the people of a country town where they had both passed
some time in their childhood, and the timid woman had come to feel so
much at her ease in the society of the social and entertaining
physician, that, though he had accidentally disclosed his profession,
she allowed him to question her upon the state of her health, without
any of the alarm she had fancied she should feel at the sight of a
doctor. By the time Gertrude returned, he had made himself well
acquainted with the case, and was prepared, on Mrs. Sullivan's leaving
the room, to provide dry clothes for her father, to report to Gertrude
his opinion.

"Gertrude," said he, as soon as the door was shut, "that's a very sick
woman."

"Do you think so, Dr. Jeremy?" said Gertrude, much alarmed, and sinking
into the nearest chair.

"I do," replied he. "I wish I had seen her six months ago."

"Why, doctor? Do you date her illness so far back as that?"

"Yes, and much farther.