nowhere," was my inexplicable response. I do not know if Mr. Lucas
understood me, for just then Miss Ruth gave the signal for the ladies
to rise. The rest of the evening was rather a tedious affair. I
played a little, but no one seemed specially impressed, and I could
hear Mrs. Smedley's voice talking loudly all the time.

Mr. Lucas did not address me again; he and Uncle Geoffrey talked
politics on the rug. The Smedleys went early, and just as we were
about to follow their example a strange thing happened; poor Miss
Ruth was taken with one of her bad attacks.

I was very frightened, for she looked to me as though she were
dying; but Uncle Geoffrey was her doctor, and understood all about
it, and Allan quietly stood by and helped him.

Mr. Lucas rang for nurse, who always waited on Miss Ruth as well as
Flurry, but she had gone to bed with a sick headache. The housemaid
was young and awkward, and lost her head entirely, so Uncle Geoffrey
sent her away to get her mistress' room ready, and he and Allan
carried Miss Ruth up between them; and a few minutes afterward I
heard Allan's whistle, and ran out into the hall.

"Good-night, Esther," he said, hurriedly; I am just going to the
surgery for some medicine. Uncle Geoffrey thinks you ought to offer
your services for the night, as that girl is no manner of use; you
had better go up now."

"But, Allan, I do not understand nursing in the least," for this
suggestion terrified me, and I wanted the walk home with Allan, and a
cozy chat when every one had gone to bed; but, to my confusion, he