Up the Hill and Over

green lawns, and are comfortable and even picturesque. The Swiss chalet style has not yet come to Coombe, so the architecture, though plain, is not productive of nightmare. The

ffice with a tower and a clock, a courthouse with a fountain and a cannon, a park with a bandstand and a baseball diamond, a townhall with a belfry and no bell, an exhaustiv

of the chocolate cake, in spite of the pie, he had slept. And that alone was enough to make the whole world over. It was still hot but with a heat different from the heat of yesterday. A little shower had fallen during the night. There was a sense of the north in

n had forgotten that he was going to Mrs. Sykes at all, when he was recalled to a sense of duty by a sharp hail from the corner house of a street he had just passed. Looking back, he saw, half-way down the road, a tall, red woman leaning o

s as they make 'em, but he's got a fine gift for description. Come right in. I'm dreadful anxious about Ann. It don't seem like measles, and she's had chicken-pox twice, and if she's sickening for anything worse I wa

that Dr. Calla

a great believer in a man making his own stepping-stones anyway," she went on with a frien

lk, across a veranda so clean that one hesitated to step on it, and into

Mrs. Sykes kindly. "I hope you ain't entir

erstood to murmur somethi

ught to warn you. I despise folks who hold back from telling things because they ain't quite pleasant. Know the worst, I always say; it's better in the

ed her up the narrow stair and into a clean bright room

hand, at once exhibiting and ap

ained. "And there," pointing to th

n on faith, as it were, for, from the door, no; Ann was visi

re's the

ned black eyes appeared for a moment as

Mrs. Sykes m

ewhere under the bedcloth

the doctor, "you've got t

beamed co

ick I move her right into the spare-room and put her into the best feathers. Then if she should be took sudden I wouldn't have anything to regret. The minister and the doct

ead came to the surface, again followed by the frightene

best professional manner. Mrs. Sykes opened her lips to as

f the dent and placed her firmly upon a pillow. It was a very plump pillow, evidently

ou are on an island; but be very careful not to slide off

s grasped the is

ht tip." He leaned close so that she might see

ghted giggle. "I'd go right

ht feel more inclined to tell your aunt what

pped gi

l me," went on the doc

d'ye

off that time! Does your aunt know

N

r things again. Not even when you get the chance." Then as

art!" said A

n't I told you till I'm tired to keep your hands in? Is it measles, Doctor? She's subject to measles. Perhaps it's

or smile

lpox this time

them spots on the

caused by indigestio

. Indigestion? It looks more like eczema. Eczema is a terrible trying thing. But

been giving trouble. It has been hotter than is usual here, I understand. Heat often u

just before you came in," she remarked in an injured tone. "But if you think she needs it ag

surprise. Then as the meaning of the th

e explained. "This is just to cool her off.

!" blis

ykes s

a fever. In my time, the hotter you were, the hotter you were made to be, till you got cool naturally.

tain

he knows better t

ing gaze, Callandar

iety run away with you. There is not the slightest occasion for alarm. If there were, I should not dream of hiding it from one so well-prepared as yours

e a relieved gasp which her au

ordinary," she admitted in a mollified

virtuous. "If you will allow me, I shall carry her in now. You see, she is cooler

antly cool. The little bed with the hard mattress and the snowy counterpane was infinitely to be preferred

l?" she whispered a

t too nasty, and you mustn't squeal-or it will be the spare-room again. Red cheeks

ution. Depend upon it, they're the very folks that's got it coming to them. Yes. No one needs to go around denying that there's a hell, if their feet are planted upon a rock and they know they're never going there. It's years now since I've look

xactly expresse

otel will never get any forwarder in Coombe. You'll have

o.

own and seems made exactly for a doctor's office. I shouldn't mind letting you have them if you feel sure that the

horse," protested

ood one on time. You can trust Mark, if he is mournful. Of course I don't say that these rooms are the only rooms to let in Coombe, but I do

was, over

tearing down this way on account of Mrs. Brooks' being took kind of unexpected, and Bill losing his he

I'd been here he woul

out to him as he went by. He was

ility. "I lost a

let you have your meals, too. Only I'd expect you to be as reg'lar as Providence permitted. I know a doctor is bound to be more aggravating in that wa

ced for help to Ann, but met only clasped hands and an

e time surrender seemed the only natural thing. Besides, he couldn't stay another day at the Imperial. He had

ried Ann, clap

'll get your death? If you like, Doctor, there's nothing to prevent your mov

s at last rou

astily. "If I come here, there is

r-bed?" in

voice was a so

ther-beds nor eat pie-well, perhaps," with a glance at Ann, "an occasional pie may do no har

pinal troubles are most deceiving. Terrible things they are, but they don't shorten life as quickly as some others. Not that that's a bles

spinal trouble that is the matter with me, you know, but-er-I'll send down the kind of mattres

tors are finicky. Don't worry about the

g mingled. "Poor young feller!" she mused. "He didn't like what I sa