erceived as much, or whether there might be some other
reason, his words were also few. He addressed himself seriously to work.

"Will you permit me to introduce an apprentice?" he said, in a more
commonplace way than was usual for him, as he was removing Mr. Linden's
wrapper from the arm. Faith had come quietly up to the head of the
couch and was standing there.

"Is not that the doctor's prerogative?"

"Hum--" said the doctor doubtfully; but he did not explain himself
further.

Faith had come close to the head of the couch, but stood a little back,
so that Mr. Linden could not see whether she looked like fainting or
not. There were no signs of that, for the lessening of colour in her
cheeks, which was decided, kept company with a very clear and intent
eye. One little caught breath he might hear, when the wounded arm was
first laid bare; but not another. The doctor heard it too, for he
looked up, but Faith was gravely and quietly busy with what she had
come there to see; giving it precisely the same simplicity of attention
that she brought to her physical geography or her French exercise; and
that was entire. She did not shrink; she rather pressed forward and
bent near, to acquaint herself perfectly with what was done; and once
or twice asked a question as to the reason or the use of something. Dr.
Harrison glanced up at her the first time--it might have been with
incipient impatience--or irony,--but if either, it disappeared. He
answered her questions straightforward and sensibly, giving her, and
with admirable precision, exactly the information she desired, and even
more than absolutely that. For everything else, the work went on in
silence. When the doctor however was standing at the table a moment,
preparing his lint or something else, and Faith had followed him there
and stood watching; he said to her over the table in a sotto voce
aside--but with a sharp glance--

"Was the information true, that we received the other night?--under the
lanterns?"

"What a singular question!" said Mr. Linden from his couch.

"Pourquoi?" said the doctor as simply as if the original words had been
addressed to Mr. Linden himself. "Well, it may be a singular question,
for it was singular information. Was it well-founded, Miss Derrick?"

"No--at a venture," said Mr. Linden, with just the sort of air with
which a sick person puts in his word and assumes superior knowledge.

The doctor looked at one and at the other; Mr. Linden