be able to relieve her a good deal. If you would like to try the
prescription, Miss Blyth, it is entirely at your service. Not
professionally, please understand, not professionally; a mere
neighbourly attention. I hope we shall be neighbours. Don't mention
it, please don't, because I shall be so glad, you know. Besides--you
have a little look of my--aunt; she has very regular features."

Miss Phoebe thanked him with a rather tremulous dignity; he was a
most courteous and attractive young man, but so impetuous, that she
felt a disturbance of her cool blood. It was singular, though, how
little dear Doctor Stedman had been able to do for her rheumatism,
for as many years as he had been attending her. Perhaps newer methods--
it must be confessed that Doctor Stedman was growing old.

"Where do you intend to lodge, Doctor Strong?" she asked, by way of
changing the subject gracefully.

The young doctor did not know, was quite at a loss.

"There is only one house that I want to lodge in!" he said, and his
bold face had grown suddenly timid, like a schoolboy's. "That is, of
course there are plenty of good houses in the village, Miss Blyth,
excellent houses, and excellent people in them, I have no doubt; but--
well, there is only one house for me. You know what house I mean,
Miss Blyth, because you know how one can feel about a really fine
house. The moment I saw it I said, 'That is the house for me!' But
Doctor Stedman said there was no possible chance of my getting taken
in there."

"I really do not know how Doctor Stedman should speak with authority