ce. Percy sees him quite frequently. He's really
sorry for him. When Percy likes a person nothing in the world can turn him
against--why, he would lend him money as long as his own lasted. He--"

"Has Braden borrowed money from Percy?" demanded Anne quickly.

"I did not say that he had, my dear," said the other reprovingly. "I
merely said that he would lend it to him in any amount if he asked for it.
Of course, Braden would probably go to Simmy Dodge in case of--they are
almost inseparable, you know. Simmy has been quite a brick, sticking to
him like this. My dear,"--leaning a little closer and lowering her voice on
Ludwig's account,--"do you know that the poor fellow didn't have a patient
for nearly six months? People wouldn't go near him. I hear that he has
been doing better of late. I think it was Percy who said that he had
operated successfully on a man who had gall stones. Oh, yes, I quite
forgot that Percy says he has twenty-five thousand dollars a year as wages
for acting as trustee. I fancy he doesn't hesitate to use it to the best
advantage. As long as he has that, I dare say he will not starve or go
naked."

Receiving no response from Anne, she took courage and playfully shook her
finger at the young woman. "Wasn't there some ridiculous talk of an
adolescent engagement a few years ago? How queer nature is! I can't
imagine you even being interested in him. So soggy and emotionless, and
you so full of life and verve and--Still they say he is completely wrapped
up in his profession, such as it is. I've always said that a daughter of
mine should never marry a doctor. As a matter of fact, a doctor never
should marry. No woman should be subjected to the life that a doctor's
wife has to lead. In the first place, if he is any good at all in his
profession, he can't afford to give her any time or thought, and then
there is always the danger one runs from women patients. You never could
be quite sure that everything was all right, don't you know. Besides, I've
always had a horror of the infectious diseases they may be carrying around
in their--why, think of small-pox and diphtheria and scarlet fever! Those
diseases--"

"My dear Mrs. Wintermill," interrupted Anne, with a smile, "I am not
thinking of marrying a doctor."

"Of course you are not," said Mrs. Wintermill promptly. "I wasn't thinking
of that. I--"

"Besides, there is a lot of difference between a surgeon and a regular
practitioner. Surgeons do not treat s