th the lamp-light in his eyes.

"Yes. That'll do. Thank you!" in the same whisper. Before he could tap
at the door, then darkening in the receding light, it opened suddenly,
and a big Irish woman bounced out, and then whisked in again, calling to
some one in an inner room: "Here he is, Mrs. Mill'r," and then bounced
out again, with a "Walk royt in, if _you_ plaze; here's the choild"--and
whisked in again, with a "Sure an' Jehms was quick;" never once looking
at him, and utterly unconscious of the presence of her landlord. He had
hardly stepped into the room and taken off his hat, when Mrs. Miller
came from the inner chamber with a lamp in her hand. How she started!
With her pale face grown suddenly paler, and her hand on her bosom, she
could only exclaim: "Why, it's Dr. Renton!" and stand, still and dumb,
gazing with a frightened look at his face, whiter than her own.
Whereupon Mrs. Flanagan came bolting out again, with wild eyes and a
sort of stupefied horror in her good, coarse, Irish features; and then,
with some uncouth ejaculation, ran back, and was heard to tumble over
something within, and tumble something else over in her fall, and gather
herself up with a subdued howl, and subside.

"Mrs. Miller," began Dr. Renton, in a low, husky voice, glancing at her
frightened face, "I hope you'll be composed. I spoke to you very harshly
and rudely to-night; but I really was not myself--I was in anger--and I
ask your pardon. Please to overlook it all, and--but I will speak of
this presently; now--I am a physician; will you let me look now at your
sick child?"

He spoke hurriedly, but with evident sincerity. For a moment her lips
faltered; then a slow flush came up, with a quick change of expression
on her thin, worn face, and, reddening to painful scarlet, died away in
a deeper pallor.

"Dr. Renton," she said, hastily, "I have no ill-feeling for you, sir,
and I know you were hurt and vexed--and I know you have tried to make it
up to me again, sir--secretly. I know who it was, now; but I can't take
it, sir. You must take it back. You know it was you sent it, sir?"

"Mrs. Miller," he replied, puzzled beyond measure, "I don't understand
you. What do you mean?"

"Don't deny it, sir. Please not to," she said imploringly, the tears
starting to her eyes. "I am very grateful--indeed I am. But I can't
accept it. Do take it again."

"Mrs. Miller," he replied, in a hasty voice, "what do you mean? I have
sent you nothing--nothi