ht Tims, why a dose of alcohol
should give her nerves and circulation a fillip, only she must not know
of it, or she would certainly refuse the remedy.

Pocketing the bottle and flourishing the teapot, Tims mounted again to
Milly's room. Her patient, who had spent the time wandering about the
room and examining everything in it, as well as she could in the
fast-falling twilight, resumed her position in the chair as soon as she
heard a step in the passage, and greeted her returning keeper with an
attractive smile. Tims uttering words of commendation, slyly poured some
brandy into one of the large teacups before lighting the candles.

"Now, my girl," she said, when she had made the tea, "drink this, and
you'll feel better."

Milly leaned forward, her round chin on her hand, and looked intently at
the tea-service and at the proffered cup. Then she suddenly raised her
head, clapped her hands softly, and cried in a tone of delighted
discovery, "Tea!"

"Excuse me," she added, taking the cup with a little bow; and in two
seconds had helped herself to three lumps of sugar. Tims was surprised,
for Milly never took sugar in her tea.

"That's right, M., you're going along well!" cried Tims, standing on the
hearth-rug, with one hand under her short coat-tails, while she gulped
her own tea, and ate two pieces of bread and butter put together. Milly
ate hers and drank her tea daintily, looking meanwhile at her companion
with wonder which gradually gave way to amusement. At length leaning
forward with a dimpling smile, she interrogated very politely and quite
lucidly.

"Pardon me, sir, you are--? Ah, the doctor, no doubt! My poor head, you
see!" and she drew her fingers across her forehead.

Tims started, and grabbed her wig, as was her wont in moments of
agitation. She stood transfixed, the teacup at a dangerous angle in her
extended hand.

"Good God!" she ejaculated. "You are mad and no mistake, my poor old
girl."

The "old girl" made a supreme effort to contain herself, and then burst
into a pretty, rippling laugh in which there was nothing familiar to
Tims's ear. She rose from her chair vivaciously and took the cup from
Tims's hand, to deposit it in safety on the chimney piece.

"How silly I was!" she cried, regarding Tims sparklingly. "Do you know I
was not quite sure whether you were a man or a woman. Of course I see
now, and I'm so glad. I do like men, you know, so much better than
women."

"Milly," retorted Tims