ically put his purse in her hand, and went with her to the
house of the nearest medical man.

The doctor was at home, mixing drugs in his little surgery. After one
sharp look at Amelius, he ran into a back parlour, and returned with a
glass of spirits. "Drink this, sir," he said--"unless you want to find
yourself on the floor in a fainting fit. And don't presume again on your
youth and strength to treat your heart as if it was made of cast-iron."
He signed to Amelius to sit down and rest himself, and turned to the
woman to hear what was wanted of him. After a few questions, he said she
might go; promising to follow her in a few minutes, when the gentleman
would be sufficiently recovered to accompany him.

"Well, sir, are you beginning to feel like yourself again?" He was
mixing a composing draught, while he addressed Amelius in those terms.
"You may trust that poor wretch, who has just left us, to take care of
the sick girl," he went on, in the quaintly familiar manner which seemed
to be habitual with him. "I don't ask how you got into her company--it's
no business of mine. But I am pretty well acquainted with the people in
my neighbourhood; and I can tell you one thing, in case you're anxious.
The woman who brought you here, barring the one misfortune of her life,
is as good a creature as ever breathed; and the other one who lives with
her is the same. When I think of what they're exposed to--well! I take
to my pipe, and compose my mind in that way. My early days were all
passed as a ship's surgeon. I could get them both respectable employment
in Australia, if I only had the money to fit them out. They'll die in
the hospital, like the rest, if something isn't done for them. In my
hopeful moments, I sometimes think of a subscription. What do you say?
Will you put down a few shillings to set the example?"

"I will do more than that," Amelius answered. "I have reasons for
wishing to befriend both those two poor women; and I will gladly engage
to find the outfit."

The familiar old doctor held out his hand over the counter. "You're
a good fellow, if ever there was one yet!" he burst out. "I can show
references which will satisfy you that I am not a rogue. In the mean
time, let's see what is the matter with this little girl; you can tell
me about her as we go along." He put his bottle of medicine in his
pocket, and his arm in the arm of Amelius--and so led the way out.

When they reached the wretched lodging-house in wh