"But he _is_ here, papa; let me introduce you to Jack Everson, a
physician like yourself."

All this time the smiling young man was standing directly behind the
old doctor, who was lazily reclining in a hammock on the shaded lawn,
smoking a cheroot, while his daughter sat on a camp stool, with one
hand resting on the edge of the hammock, so as to permit her gently to
sway it back and forth. As she spoke the tall, muscular American
walked forward and extended his hand.

"Doctor, I am glad to make your acquaintance," he said, in his cheery
way. The astonished physician came to an upright position like the
clicking of the blade of a jackknife, and meeting the salutation,
exclaimed:

"Well, I'll be hanged! I never knew a girl so full of nonsense and
tricks as Mary. You are welcome, doctor, to my house; let me have a
look at you!"

Jack Everson laughingly stepped hack a couple of paces and posed for
inspection. The elder deliberately drew his spectacle case from his
pocket, adjusted the glasses and coolly scrutinized the young man from
head to foot.

"You'll do," he quietly remarked, removing his glasses and returning
them to the morocco case; "now, if you'll be good enough to seat
yourself, we'll talk over matters until dinner time. When did you
arrive?"

Jack seated himself on the remaining camp stool, a few paces from the