your house."

"Call at any rate, Doctor," urged Mrs. Wallingford. "Even if you
don't see Henry, you may be able to advise me as to what I had
better do."

I gave my promise, and the troubled mother went back through storm
and darkness to her home. By this time my overcoat was thoroughly
dried. As Constance brought it forth warm from the fire, she looked
into my face with an expression of inquiry. But I was not ready to
speak in regard to Mrs. Wallingford, and, perceiving this at a
glance, she kept silence on that subject.

As I opened the front door, the storm swept into my face; but I
passed out quickly into the night, and shielding myself with an
umbrella, as best I could, bent to the rushing wind, and took my
solitary way in the direction of Mrs. Jones's humble dwelling, which
lay quite upon the outskirts of our town. To reach my destination, I
had to pass the Old Allen House, which stood within a high stone
enclosure, surrounded by stately elms a century old, which spread
their great arms above and around the decaying mansion, as if to
ward off the encroachments of time. As I came opposite the gate
opening upon the carriage way, I stopped suddenly in surprise, for
light streamed out from both windows of the north-west chamber,
which I knew had been closed ever since the death of Captain Allen,
who passed to his account several years before.

This Allen House was one of the notable places in our town; and the
stories in circulation touching the Allen family, now almost
extinct, were so strongly tinctured with romance, that sober-minded