gered great-uncle,
and I've seen that child's grandchild born with six fingers. Does this
girl like to have her own way pretty well, like the rest of the family?"

"A little too well, I suspect, father. You will remember all about her
when you come to see her and talk with her. She would like to talk with
you, and her aunt wants to see you too; they think there's nobody like
the 'old Doctor'."

He was not too old to be pleased with this preference, and said he was
willing to go when they were ready. With no small labor of preparation
he was at last got to the house, and crept with his son's aid up to the
little room over the water, where his patient was still lying.

There was a little too much color in Myrtle's cheeks and a glistening
lustre in her eyes that told of unnatural excitement. It gave a strange
brilliancy to her beauty, and might have deceived an unpractised
observer. The old man looked at her long and curiously, his imperfect
sight excusing the closeness of his scrutiny.

He laid his trembling hand upon her forehead, and then felt her pulse
with his shriveled fingers. He asked her various questions about
herself, which she answered with a tone not quite so calm as natural,
but willingly and intelligently. They thought she seemed to the old
Doctor to be doing very well, for he spoke cheerfully to her, and
treated her in such a way that neither she nor any of those around her
could be alarmed. The younger physician was disposed to think she was
only suffering from temporary excitement, and that it would soon pass
off.

They left the room to talk it over.

"It does not amount to much, I suppose, father," said Dr. Fordyce
Hurlbut. "You made the pulse about ninety,--a little hard,--did n't you;
as I did? Rest, and low diet for a day or two, and all will be right,
won't it?"

Was it the feeling of sympathy, or was it the pride of superior
sagacity, that changed the look of the old man's wrinkled features?
"Not so fast,--not so fast, Fordyce," he said. "I've seen that look on
another face of the same blood,--it 's a great many years ago, and she
was dead before you were born, my boy,--but I've seen that look, and
it meant trouble then, and I'm afraid it means trouble now. I see some
danger of a brain fever. And if she doesn't have that, then look out for
some hysteric fits that will make mischief. Take that handkerchief off
of her head, and cut her hair close, and keep her temples cool, and put
some drawi