Up the Hill and Over

rs, she had found (with the single exception of Dr. Coombe), were terribly unreaso

ly, "I shall have to go to bed. And if I go to

my room? And even if you do not wish to see the doctor for yourself," Esther's tone was reproachful, "think what a good opportunity it is for us

t want her in the room. She laughs. But I would like to lie on y

you will not min

nyway she can't," triumphantl

he knew the doctor was c

ng. She simply had to go to that. She said you could attend to the doctor quite as well as she could and that it was all nonsense anyway, because

ngs, but in her heart she was both angry and hurt. Her mother had known of the doctor's intended visit and

e, may have left the house purposely to escape seeing the doctor on her own account. Esther well knew the stubbornness of which she was capable upon th

done what she could. At any rate, there was no time t

e been a little older she might have suspected such perfection, deducing from it that Callandar, like herself, was subconsciously aware of an interest in the situation not altogether professional. But the girl made no deductions and certainly there was no trace of any embarrassment in the docto

ed eyes grew quiet and then lifted the

aren't we?" he said, smiling. "Al

ed upon a vague

ctor, "that you have reason to f

ain, but quieted as the plea

details. Perhaps you can supply them for me. When e

n unbelievable thing-a doctor who did not argue or deny or playfully scold her for "fancies." A doctor who took

et the details from the patient hersel

of interest in his kindly eyes. An immense relief stole over her. A reli

, "I-" a rush of easy tears dr

w more quiet he exchanged her soaking bit of cambric for his own more serviceab

Even Esther, who tries to help me, thinks I do not know what I am talking about. They all argue in the most absurd manner. If I do not pretend always that I agree with them I have no peace. Sometimes when I tell some of the things I know, Esther looks frightened and says

r calmly. "Or about Miss Esther either

ecarious condition with a

I went to find Jane. I heard her crying. She had cut her finger and when I had bound it up I felt faint, so I fool

this point. "Did you taste any

hey would be too

d you begin

en to pour out a fresh cup." The na?veté of this

this opportunity for argument but, meeting the doctor's eye, r

feel the pain

appeared

d-I-I think." She

peared to co

ly, "that you really feel very litt

t she could not locat

ry simple case. All the more serious, of course, for being so simple, if we did no

ague eyes be

etter of them again

ust have one every two hours and two at bedtime. When she has taken them for two days I shall send something else. You will n

on, mixed it with water, and watched the

ecting not to see Aunt Amy's grateful tears. "And of course," he added as if by an afterthought, "They won't know anything about this. They will think that, having taken the c

ope lit up the worn fa

u really thin

e of

ul. Esther, who had observed the little scene with wonder, said nothing,

el

hall she could see the amuse

ke it! You

id," ch

ding up the glass vi

on

which you are go

e to

tand that they are the antidote for th

r a poison which does exist-m

taking advanta

ou have never taken advantage o

ainly

nderstand, so to speak, that a

s diff

uring a thunderstorm that light

very dif

ow that lightning falls upon

ilent. The d

(as you are doing now) upon the doctor. You will find that I shall effect a cure. Seriously, I do not believe that you have any idea of what that poor woman has been suffering. If the delusion of liv

eyes flashed up to h

orld to help her. But all the time I should have a queer idea th

he prejudice which always insists tha

g slightly backward, supporting herself by one hand. She looked tired. There were shadows under her eyes.

f your age ought to be. You cannot teach those imps of Satan-I mean those charming children-all day

that now he had touched the

entional excuse halted. A little smile curled the end of her lips and sh

t out to escape

veté, "she hasn't seen you yet. And mother dislikes doctors very much.

to dislike doctors," he

. At the very best the

hen one is ill it

. Coomb

not at all like herself. I hoped so much that you wou

what is troubling yo

l right until the last two days. But moth

w l

e father die

re really ill her prejudice would disappear

me!" She did indeed look puzzle

?" suggested Callandar. "You ma

ou about their mothers be

n. Wh

sn't seem natural

t as foolish a

ealth. But it varies so. Sometimes she seems quite well, bright, cheerful, ready for anything! Then again she is depressed, nervous, irritable. She has desperate headaches which come on at in

perhaps when you know me better?-It is, af

feeling, a feeling as if I knew, without quite knowing, that the trouble is deeper than appears. Jane feels it too, so it can't b

aughing. Pl

ches, which seem to mark a kind of nervous crisi

me that she to

me nervous trouble then which seems to have been the beginning of everything. But that time she recovered and it was not until after father's death that the headaches began again. Father's presc

w what the

says it is a very difficult prescription and she

apable of filling any prescription

t mother will n

t does her no

e has a wonderful belief in

looked very

u to try any kind of c

etimes when I have gone up hoping to help I have heard such

talk of he

e would think that anything serious was wrong unless they lived in the house. A

it was never intended to be used as she is using it. Otherwise, as you say, the attacks would diminish. At the same time a blind faith in a certain medicine is not at all uncommon. One meet

r hes

. If I asked her for it she would certainly r

chosen course of action. The medicine is probably injurious, even dangerous. I should warn her, at least. If she will do not

red to me that the medicine might be at fault; at the worst I thought it might be useless, not harmful. If I coul

blem of any complexity in sleepy Coombe. The cases of Aunt Amy and the peculiar Mrs. Coombe seemed to justify his stay

tairs with a l