epidemic. While taking every possible precaution, he made light of
the actual danger, and by his presence and influence warded off the
panic which might have brought about the dreaded result.

As a matter of fact, there were no more cases in the mill; and Lena
herself had the terrible disease more lightly than any one had dared
to hope. The doctor, hurrying through back ways and alleys to change
his clothes and take his bath of disinfectants, was hailed from back
gates and windows at every step; and he never failed to return a
cheery "Doing well! out of it soon now! No, not much marked, only a
few spots here and there."

This was when he left the quarantined house; but when he sought it,
he might be seen to stop at one gate and another, picking up here a
jar, there a bowl, here again a paper bag; till by the time he
reached the Laxen gate he stood out all over with packages like a
summer Santa Claus.

"There ain't anybody goin' to starve round here, if they _have_ got
the smallpox!" was the general verdict, voiced by James Gregory, and
when he added, for the benefit of the mill-yard, that he had heard
Mr. Gordon order ice-cream, oranges, and oysters, all at once, for
Lena, a growl of pleasure went round, which deepened into a hearty
"What's the matter with the Old Man? _he's_ all right!"

At length, one happy day, Mary Denison met Mr. Gordon at the Laxens'
gate, and heard the good news that Lena was sitting up; that in a
day or two now the quarantine would be taken off, the house
disinfected, and Lena back in her place at the mill. The manager
looked with satisfaction at Mary's beaming face of happiness; then,