strange physician had made her trust his strength as she would a rock. She
could not have explained why it was so; but as her father remarked once,
she might have said, "I trust him implicitly, because, though a man of
superiority, he implicitly trusts himself."

As she re-entered her mother's room, her father regarded her intently.

"So we are going to make a baby of you, Mamma," she cried playfully, coming
forward and folding her arms around her mother, who lay on the lounge.

"So he says; and what he says one cannot resist." There was an apathetic
ring to her mother's voice that surprised her. Quickly the thought flashed
through her that she was too weary to resist now that she was found out.

"Then we won't try to," Ruth decided, seating herself on the edge of the
lounge close to her mother. From his armchair, Mr. Levice noted with
remorseful pride the almost matronly poise and expression of his lovely
young daughter as she bent over her weary-looking mother and smoothed her
hair.

"And if you are to be baby," she continued, smiling down, "I shall have to
change places with you, and become mother. You will see what a capital one
I shall make. Let's see, what are the duties? First, baby must be kept
clean and sweet, --I am an artist at that; secondly, Father and the rest of
us must have a perfectly appointed menage; third--"

"I do not doubt that you will make a perfect mother, my child;" the gentle
meaning of her father's words and glance caused Ruth to flush with
pleasure. When Levice said, "My child," the words were a caress. "Just
believe in her, Esther; one of her earliest lessons was 'Whatever you do,