She thought, and truly, that her mother failed to appreciate him.

While Evelyn waited the doctor subjected his patient to a thorough
examination, not only feeling his pulse, listening to the beating
of his heart, sounding his lungs and looking at his tongue, but
cross-questioning him closely, his face growing graver with every reply
elicited.

"You have told me everything?" he inquired at length.

"Yes, I think so; every symptom that I can recall at this moment. And
now, doctor, I want you to be equally frank with me; tell me exactly what
you think of my case."

"I cannot hold out any hope of recovery," was the unwilling reply; "but
there is little, if any, immediate danger."

"You but confirm my own impressions," said Mr. Leland quietly. "But I
would have a clearer understanding of your verdict; do you mean that I
may have years of invalidism before me, or that a few weeks or months
must bring the end?"

"You really desire to know the worst, my dear sir?" returned the
physician inquiringly, a look of deep sympathy on his kindly face.

"I do," was the calmly resolute reply; "let me know the worst and face it
in the strength God gives to His children according to their day."

"Then, my dear sir, I will be plain with you; but bear in mind that I lay