ncing toward the
table. "Those pies look very tempting."

"Oh, yes, it makes me hustle all right to fill Empty. I often tell him
he's well named, fer I never saw any one who eats as much as he does."

"All mothers say the same thing, don't they? Growing lads need plenty
of food. It's better to pay the grocer than the doctor, isn't it?"'

Mrs. Dempster paused in her work and glanced toward the still form on
the sofa.

"I guess she'll need the doctor before long, if I'm not much mistaken,"
she remarked in a low voice. "Poor child, she's had a hard time of it
since she went to the city. Who'd a thought that bright an' happy Jean
Benton would have come to this?"

"Is she very sick, do you think?" Douglas asked as he looked toward the
sleeping woman.

Mrs. Dempster did not at once reply. She placed a pie in the oven, and
then turned to her visitor.

"Guess we'd better step outside fer a minute," she suggested. "We kin
talk freer in the open air."

"There, that's better," Mrs. Dempster panted as she closed the door
behind her. "Ye kin never tell when sleeping people will wake an' make
matters uncomfortable. Now, look here, sir, I want ye to do me a
favour."

"All right," Douglas assented. "What is it?"

"I want ye to ask Nell to come here as soon as she kin. There's
somethin' I want to speak to her about. She's the only woman in the
place I care to ask. She's got more sense than all the rest put
together, which is sayin' a good deal."

"When do you want her to come?"

"Oh, to-morrow will do. I don't want her to come over to-night, as
it's wet an' the roads are so muddy. Jist tell her to come when she
gits time."

"So you think Jean is sick?"

"Yes, very. But she'll be sicker before she gits better, poor dear.
But there, I must git back to my work. It was good of ye to come over."

Douglas was only too glad of an excuse to visit the Strongs. It was
dark by the time he reached the house, as he had been delayed owing to
the cattle going astray from the pasture. The door was opened by Nan,
who gave a cry of delight when she saw Douglas standing before her.

"My, you have been a long time coming to see us again," she chided. "I
have been watching for you every day."

It was a pleasant home-like scene which met Douglas' eyes as he entered
the little sitting-room. The professor was seated in his big chair by
the side of the table. Nell was sitting opposite, peeling and coring
apples. Na