to the center of that mob, for others were as
curious as Peter. Then, over the swaying shoulders he caught a second
glimpse of the chestnut-brown. It was a woman's hair, and it was
familiar in arrangement.

He broke into an arena not more than nine feet in diameter in which
were three objects: a wooden cask, upturned, a leather hand-bag, and a
small and exceedingly pretty young woman. Her cheeks were flushed, her
eyes were gray and sweet, and her mouth was like an opening rosebud.

"Eileen----" he cried.

"Why, Peter Moore!" she gasped.

He rushed to take her, but she held up her palms, retreating.

He laughed. "What under the seven suns are you doing in Ching-Fu--and
Kialang--and China? What's the meaning?"

He observed that a snow-white apron extended from her dimpled chin to
her small ankles.

"This is my office hour," she said severely.

"But what does this mean--this?" he exploded, gesturing wildly toward
the circle of attentive onlookers.

"My clinic!" She smiled.

"You're not practising medicine out here--in this street!" he
ejaculated.

"Indeed I am," she replied. "Some of these people have been waiting
their turns since daylight. I returned from Kialang an hour ago. And
I'll work until I collapse. I must. I wish I could multiply myself by
a thousand. There's not another doctor within miles. You can watch,
if you'd like," she added, then called shrilly.

An old woman appeared, and went scurrying, returning immediately with a
clean, wooden bucket filled with hot water.

Eileen removed from the hand-bag what appeared to be a wallet.
Stripping a rubber band from this she revealed a row of shining
surgical knives. Then she produced from the black bag several bottles
and a roll of absorbent cotton.

"Eyes," she told him as her hand was swallowed again by the black bag.

A child, a river boy, was pushed forward by a squinting mother.
Quaking fearfully, he sat down on the cask at the girl's feet.

She turned to Peter. "This child has been without sight for a month.
Without this operation he would remain blind forever. To-morrow he
will see again."

"You're wonderful!" Peter exclaimed.

At the gentle touch the child's loud whining ceased. She lifted one of
the swollen lids. The boy did not flinch.

"Filth caused this," she explained. "The Chinese are the dirtiest race
on earth, anyway," she added, dipping a clump of cotton into an
antiseptic wash and rinsing the patient's eyes.