ch. Your pulse seems
regular, though possibly a trifle feverish. Have you been working hard?"

"I don't think I've been working any harder than usual," said Patty,
truthfully.

"Sitting up late nights?"

Patty considered. "I was up rather late twice last week," she confessed.

"If you girls persist in studying until all hours of the night, I
don't know what we doctors can do."

Patty did not think it necessary to explain that it was a Welsh-rabbit
party on each occasion, so she merely sighed and looked out of the
window.

"Is your appetite good?"

"Yes," said Patty, in a tone which belied the words; "it seems to be
very good."

"Um-m," said the doctor.

"I'm just a little tired," pursued Patty, "but I think I shall be all
right as soon as I get a chance to rest. Perhaps I need a tonic," she
suggested.

"You'd better stay out of classes for a day or two and get thoroughly
rested."

"Oh, no," said Patty, in evident perturbation. "Our room is so full of
girls all the time that it's really more restful to go to classes; and,
besides, I can't stay out just now."

"Why not?" demanded the doctor, suspiciously.

"Well," said Patty, a trifle reluctantly, "I have a good deal to do.
I've got to cram for an examination, and--"

The word "cram" was to the doctor as a red rag to a bull. "Nonsense!"
she ejaculated. "I know what I shall do with you. You are going right
over to the infirmary for a few days--"

"Oh, doctor!" Patty pleaded, with tears in her eyes, "there's _truly_
nothing the matter with me, and I've _got_ to take that examination."

"What examination is it?"

"Old English--Miss Skelling."

"I will see Miss Skelling myself," said the doctor, "and explain that
you cannot take the examination until you come out. And now," she added,
making a note of Patty's case, "I will have you put in the convalescent
ward, and we will try the rest cure for a few days, and feed you up on
chicken-broth and egg-nog, and see if we can get that appetite back."

"Thank you," said Patty, with the resigned air of one who has given up
struggling against the inevitable.

"I like to see you take an interest in your work," added the doctor,
kindly; "but you must always remember, my dear, that health is the first
consideration."

Patty returned to the study and executed an impromptu dance in the
middle of the floor.

"What's the matter?" exclaimed Priscilla. "Are you crazy?"

"No," said Patty; "only ill." And she went