Up the Hill and Over

of perpetual motion might have received many hints from Bubble, though he himself would have scorned to consider the

ous summer day! No wonder his frie

glance at the placid face of the sleeper. "Only two folks in all day and one a kid with a pin in its throat. And all he

A pleasant little breeze was trying to come in. "Buzz" sounded a fly on

would you?" he s

ied the fly's demise failed to ruffle the slee

, "smash is the word

ownership that he now found fault with his idol. Had any one else objected to the doctor's afternoon rest he would have found reason and excuse enough; but in his own heart he was puzzled. Such

nor show himself in public places. When he went walking he went early in the morning and directed his steps toward the country. About all the usual means of harmless and necessary a

asked Ann in a

busy though. Doctor's r

e's part my doctor anyway. I

won't,

r impish smile. "If he's asleep what

he tempter with s

always said, women haven't any sense of

s asleep, does he? Come on and let's get some water-cress. He'd like s

ey get up and lunch at noon and dinner about seven or eight or nine at night. Then if they get hungry be

dered thi

rs. Andrew West telling about it. She said her

dinner they get bread and butter and tea in the afternoon. But they have

ity," she murmured. "Say, don't you fe

But his Spartan

't professional. Look silly, wouldn't I,

any to

ll. Doctor says if a man wants to succeed, he'

tell. She always counts. Th

here's some one comin

rose bush. "It's only Esther Coombe. She'll be coming to s

loud voice, rattling a chair.

and shook him with all the strength of her small

uake?" asked the

o get up. Oh, goodness gr

d. "Yes," he said, "I have always thought that shaking is

roach and vanished through the parlour door just as

said a voice. "What

leep fled from the doctor's

t as usual. "This here is Dr. Callandar's office.

e doctor I wish

now plain

wait a moment,

d pulled up the blinds. The couch had been decorously straightened. The office

might call in," he exp

e down direc

d took the seat whi

at your house?" with

"Not dangerous

ert. I might have known. But you're too la

h sleep-cleared eyes, fresh collar, and newly brushed hair. A doctor who shook hands w

, you m

unior partner departed, but once out

, who was waiting around the corner of

of relief she realised that Dr. Callandar looked exactly like a doctor after all! Convention, even in clothes, has a calming effect. There was little of the weary tramp who had quenched his throat at the school pump

that Coombe was really a delightful

is tone, even, seemed to have lost t

like other people. Perhaps," with a quick smile as she thought of Mrs. Sykes, "perhaps you may have heard of her-of her fantastic ideas? Th

erceptible gesture. "Could you te

e has been subject to delusions since she was a young girl. She was to have been married and on the wedding day her lover became ill with scarlet fever, a most malignant type. She also sickened with it a little later; it killed

ed. "And the ne

ers to them as 'They.' Once, when she came to us first, she was frightened of poison and, although my father, who had great influence over her, seemed to cure her of any active fear, for years she has persisted in a curious habit

is a distinct type of brain trouble, one of whose symptoms is a

e coffee, and ran out to see what was the matter. Jane had cut her finger and the tiniest scratch upsets poor Auntie terribly. She is terrified of blood. When she came back she felt faint and at once picked up the cu

with a kind of proud despair. 'I've been

d cup and seized their opportunity. It was quite useless to point out that there was no one in the house but ourselves. She only said, 'Oh,

ould be too smart to use ordinary poisons with symptoms. 'I shall just grow weaker and weaker,' she said, 'and in a week or a month I shall die!' I tried to laugh but I was frightened. Mother adv

ey to many mysteries. The understanding, even partial, of this correspondence will be a long step in a long new road. Meanwhile we speak loosely of mind influencing matter, ignoring the impossibilit

tried to rea

l try to reason you out of your conviction that the sun is shining. A

hat can

ct for her we must treat it

etend to believe tha

ied before now of nothing

O

die. When may I see her? If I come over i

In spite of Mrs. Coombe's ridicule, Aunt Amy's need had been no fancy. And there was another thing; he was coming to the house. Her moth

t that she must have been troubled

here, do you know, any history of

The idea was a

aunt. There was a brother, I think, who died in-in an institution. He was not quite responsi

me to understand the

ough a peep-hole made

?" said a reflecti

e voice continued, "That boy Burk has gone fishing. I told you you'd regret putting that new suit on to him, brass buttons and all! Not that I want to say anything ag

not seem to hear. Mrs. Sykes, after a suspicious glance, d

! But I've got some black currant jelly that sick

pa

cate, too, if looks don't lie. Men are queer. The only thing queerer is women. What d'ye suppose a sensible middle-aged man like Doctor Coombe ever saw in that pretty doll? And what did she see

or rising from a last descent upon the rose

n't think I was trying

ke