precaution will be taken.”
Here was a second one of this family of three wishing to take the brunt of the trouble on his shoulders, and the third had been bearing it secretly for some time. Probably a very united family, loving and unselfish doubtless, but the doctor had to stifle an amused smile in the face of the old gentleman’s dignified appeal.
“Still she is not a child, I suppose; she knows of the nature of my visit?” He moved toward the door.
“Ruth—my daughter, you know—was about to tell her as I left the room.”
“Then we will go up directly.”
Levice preceded him up the broad staircase. As they reached the landing, he turned to the doctor.
“Pardon my care, but I must make sure that Ruth has told her. Just step into the sitting-room a second,” and the precautious husband went forward to his wife’s bedroom, leaving the door open.
Standing there in the hallway, Kemp could plainly hear the following words:—
“And being interested in nervous diseases,” the peculiarly low voice was saying, “he told Father he would call and see you,—out of professional curiosity, you know; besides we should not like you to be often taken as you were last night, should we?”
“People with plenty of time on their hands,” soliloquized the doctor, looking at his watch in the hallway.
“What is his name, did you say?”
“Dr. Herbert Kemp.”
“What! Don’t you know that Dr. Kemp is one of the first physicians in the city? Every one knows he has no time for curiosity. Nervous diseases are his specialty; and do you think he would come without—”
“Being asked?” interrupted a pleasant voice; the doctor had remembered the flight of time, and walked in unannounced.
“Keep your seat,” he continued, as Mrs. Levice started up, the excited blood springing to her cheeks.
“You hardly need an introduction, Esther,” said Levice. “You
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