re I was, left alone with the child upon my knees. He wouldn't
stay in bed, and was quieter so, wrapped up in his little blanket.
'Here will he die,' I thought. 'Soon will his eyes close, and then it
will be all over;' and I held my own breath to listen to his feeble
and oppressed pantings.

"About an hour had passed, when I heard a rapid step upon the stairs
(we are poor, and live in attic rooms). The door opened, and my
husband came in, wet with perspiration and out of breath. If I live a
century, I'll not forget his look when he said:--

"'Well?'

"I answered, 'No worse. But the doctor?'

"'He's coming.'

"Oh, those blessed words! It actually seemed as if my child were saved
already. If you but knew how folks love their little ones! I kissed
the darling, I kissed his father, I laughed, I cried, and I no longer
felt the faintest doubt. It is by God's mercy that such gleams of hope
are sent to strengthen us in our trials. It was very foolish, too; for
something might easily have prevented the doctor's coming, after all.

"'You found him at home, then?' I asked my husband.

"Then he told me in an undertone what he had done, stopping every now
and then to wipe his face and gather breath.

* * * * *

"My husband had scarcely uttered these words," continued Louise, "when
I heard a step on the stairs. It was he! it was that blessed angel of
a doctor, come to help us in our sore distress.

"And what do you think he said in his deep voice when he got into the
room?

"God bless you, my friends, but I nearly broke my neck on those
stairs. Where's that child?"

"'Here he is, my dear, darling doctor.' I knew no better way to speak
to him, with his dress cravat showing over his greatcoat, and his
decorations dangling like a little bunch of keys at his buttonhole.

"He took off his wrappings, stooped over the child, turned him over,
more gently even than his mother could have done, and laid his own
head first against his back, then against his breast. How I tried to
read his eyes! but they know how to hide their thoughts.

"'We must perform an operation here,' says he; 'and it is high time.'

"Just at this moment the hospital doctor came in, and whispered to
him, 'I'm afraid you didn't want to be disturbed, sir.'

"'Oh, never mind. I am sorry it wasn't sooner, though. Get everything
ready now.'

"But Ma'm'selle Adele, why should I tell you all this? I'd better mind
my work."

"