ing
himself the next afternoon, Faith should not.

Tuesday was fair, and the afternoon came on brilliant with sunbeams.
But the doctor's steps did not reach Mrs. Derrick's door by some
minutes so soon as he had purposed they should.

Passing down the main street of Pattaquasset, Dr. Harrison descried
before him the well known figure of Squire Stoutenburgh, and the less
familiar outlines of Squire Deacon. And the doctor's near approach
procured him the favour of an introduction to the latter
gentleman,--either because the Squire desired it, or because the other
Squire was tired of his companion and wanted to be off--which he was,
as soon as the introduction was over. For in Mr. Stoutenburgh's eyes
the buttonhole of Dr. Harrison's soft coat was no more precious (to say
the least) than that of his own grey Rough and Ready.

"Squire Deacon is anxious about the state of Mr. Linden's health,
doctor," he said,--"I refer him to you."

The doctor made a slight inclination, graceful as all his inclinations
were, but also slight; intimating that he would have the honour of
satisfying Mr. Deacon's inquiries but desired nothing more of him.

"How's he getting along?" said Squire Deacon--feeling the social duty
thus imposed upon him.

"There is hope that he will be restored to his pristine state of
strength in the course of a few weeks, sir."

"A few weeks!" said Squire Deacon. "Why he's in school again, ain't he?"

"He has gone in a carriage," said the doctor, who for some
unaccountable reason had taken a fit of perversity,--"I understand he
was in school yesterday."

"Did you know him afore he come here, doctor?"

"I had not that honour, sir, till I came here myself."

"Well I never saw anybody as did," said Squire Deacon.--"I s'pose he
comes from _somewhere_."

"I doubt it," said Dr. Harrison with the slightest possible elevation
of his eyebrows for an instant. Squire Deacon, however, was not just
the fool Dr. Harrison took him for; of which fact a little gleam in his
eyes gave notice.

"'Taint extraordinary _you_ don't like him, doctor," he said
carelessly. "Mr. Linden's a fine man, but 'most any pair o' wheels is
one too many in some roads."

"I never followed a wheelbarrow, sir," said the doctor. "I suppose,
from your allusion, you have. May I be honoured with your further
commands?"

"Wheelbarrows have only one wheel, mostly," said Squire Deacon
composedly.

"You know better than I, sir. Might I enquire w