Year: 1878




remained up.


"I'm going to wait for the DOCTOR"
he said, as Meeta put her head in at the
parlor door, and gently urged him TO go
to bed.


She looked sorrowfully In his face, and
with faltering goodnight, left him,
not daring to trust herself with q word
of sympathy. Poor Charles was trying
to be man, and the effort made him
look pale, and prematurely grave. There
was not only the fearful looking for
ward to his mothers possible death, but
the pang which he felt on hearing of
the death of Rose Paulier, and, also, that
gloom and apprehension inseparable
from time of general sickness. Be
sides, 1t was now almost fortnight since
the day he had carried Rose, stricken
with fever, in his arms, had taken her
breath, had felt her burning cheek
against his own. If he had caught the
fever from her, it would show itself in
few days.


Charles had not mentioned this last
subject to his brother-in-law, but he
thought II the doctor should not be In
haste to go upstairs on coming in, and
should be in a talking mood, he would
ask him about 1t.


The boy tried various ways to divert
his thoughts, and watched the clock,
wondering what kept Anne's husband
out so late. Eleven, twelve, one o'clock,
came and went; and just as Charles
was thinking that really he had mind
to go out in the front yard and listen for
some sign of step in the street, he
heard what seemed to be knock on the
back door. He listened, and it came
again, low and cautious, but an unmis-
taxable knock.


"Who in the world can it be ?n the
boy thought, going out through the
kitchen, and from there into the corri-
dor out of which the back door of the
house opened. Here he heard the knock
for the third time, but not now on the
yard door. 1t was ON the door at the
end of the corridor which led to Doctor
Thayer's Office.


For the first time the boy felt little
alarm, but while he hesitated the knock
was repeated, and he heard Doctor
Thayer's voice on the other side:


Charlie, won't you open the door ?"


Charles Immediately unlocked and
opened the door, and saw Doctor Thayer
there looking very pale and eager.


SIS anybody up but you Y' he asked,
hurriedly, before coming in.


"No; they're all asleep" was the
answer.


At that the doctor stepped into the
corridor, and laid his hand on his BROTH
er's arm.


g Charlie, believe that you've got
pretty good pluck" he said, "and I'm
going to give you chance to show
it, How are your nerves. pretty
steady 2"


"I'm all right" the boy said, straight
ening himself up.


GOOD Now you know you told me
that Rose Paulier was dead ?''


Eyes" the boy said, clouding over
little.


"Well, she isn't dead, it was a mis-
take, and she is alive and in that office.
No matter just how she came there
Nobody must know it on any account.
1t would make trouble enough for me
If it were known. No one in the house
must suspect it, except Meeta, and she 1
shall tell in the morning. Can you help
me? must be in the house, and the
child must not be left alone"


"I'll stay with her." the boy said, ca
gerly, understanding the whole matter
at once. He had read of resurrections,
and knew that doctors sometimes got
subjects in a contraband manner; and
he was far more likely to believe in mar
vels than one who knew them far better
would have been.


Full of excitement, he followed his
brother as he hurried back to the office,
and stepping in at the open door, saw
Rose Paulier lying on the sofa, shawl
wrapped about her, her head pillowed on
a cushion, and her wide bright eyes
fixed on them. She smiled AS they en-
tered, but did not move.


Now, my little girl, I've got some
body to stay by you," the doctor said,
sitting before her, and taking her small
hand in his.


She smiled kindly, but without perfect
confidence in the boy.