d the child fondly pressed her cheek against his bearded face,
to which he had quietly lifted her as soon as he alighted from Libby's
buggy.

Libby introduced Grace as Dr. Breen, and drove on, and Maynard gave
her the title whenever he addressed her, with a perfect effect of
single-mindedness in his gravity, as if it were an every-day thing
with him to meet young ladies who were physicians. He had a certain
neighborly manner of having known her a long time, and of being on good
terms with her; and somewhere there resided in his loosely knit organism
a powerful energy. She had almost to run in keeping at his side, as
he walked on to the house, carrying his little girl on his arm, and
glancing about him; and she was not sure at last that she had succeeded
in making him understand how serious the case had been.

"I don't know whether I ought to let you go in," she said, "without
preparing her."

"She's been expecting me, has n't she?" he asked.

"Yes, but"--

"And she's awake?"

"Then I'll just go in and prepare her myself. I'm a pretty good hand
at preparing people to meet me. You've a beautiful location here, Dr.
Breen; and your town has a chance to grow. I like to see a town have
some chance," he added, with a sadness past tears in his melancholy
eyes. "Bella can show me the way to the room, I reckon," he said,
setting the little one down on the piazza, and following her indoors;
and when Grace ventured, later, to knock at the door, Maynard's voice
bade her come in.

He sat beside his wife's pillow, with her hand in his left; on his right
arm perched the little girl, and rested her head on his shoulder. They
did not seem to have been talking, and they did not move when Grace
entered the room. But, apparently, Mrs. Maynard had known how to behave
to George Maynard, and peace was visibly between them.

"Now, you tell me about the medicines, Dr. Breen, and then you go and
get some rest," said Maynard in his mild, soothing voice. "I used to
understand Mrs. Maynard's ways pretty well, and I can take care of her.
Libby told me all about you and your doings, and I know you must feel as
pale as you look."

"But you can't have had any sleep on the way," Grace began.

"Sleep?" Maynard repeated, looking wanly at her. "I never sleep. I'd as
soon think of digesting."

After she had given him the needed instructions he rose from the
rocking-chair in-which he had been softly swinging to and fro, and
followed her out int