of having a ride out into the country as an occasional favor, she might be seen every day by the doctor’s side, as if he could not make his morning rounds without her; and in and out of the farm-houses she went, following him like a little dog, or, as Marilla scornfully expressed it, a briar at his heels; sitting soberly by when he dealt his medicines and gave advice, listening to his wise and merry talk with some, and his helpful advice and consolation to others of the country people.  Many of these acquaintances treated Nan with great kindness; she half belonged to them, and was deeply interesting for the sake of her other ties of blood and bonds of fortune, while she took their courtesy with thankfulness, and their lack of notice with composure.  If there were a shiny apple offered she was glad, but if not, she did not miss it, since her chief delight was in being the doctor’s assistant and attendant, and her eyes were always watching for chances when she might be of use.  And one day, coming out from a bedroom, the doctor discovered, to his amusement, that her quick and careful fingers had folded the papers of some powders which he had left unfolded on the table.  As they drove home together in the bright noon sunshine, he said, as if the question were asked for the sake of joking a little, “What are you going to do when you grow up, Nan?” to which she answered gravely, as if it were the one great question of her life, “I should like best to be a doctor.”  Strangely enough there flitted through the doctor’s mind a remembrance of the day when he had talked with Mrs. Meeker, and had looked up the lane to see the unlucky turkey whose leg had been put into splints.  He had wished more than once that he had taken pains to see how the child had managed it; but old Mrs. Thacher had reported the case to have been at least partially successful.

Nan had stolen a look at her companion after the answer had been given, but had been pleased and comforted to find that he was not laughing at her, and at once began a lively picture of becoming famous in her chosen profession, and the valued partner of Dr. Leslie, whose skill everybody praised so heartily.  He should not go out at night, and she would help him so much that he would wonder how he ever had been able to manage his wide-spread practice alone.  It was a matter of no concern to her that Marilla had laughed when she had been told of Nan’s intentions, and had spoken disrespectfully of women doctors; and the child’s heart was full of pride and hope.  The doctor stopped his horse suddenly to show Nan some flowers which grew at the roadside, some brilliant cardinals, and she climbed quickly down to gather them.  There was an unwritten law that they should keep watch, one to the right hand, and the other to the left, and such treasures of blossoms or wild fruit seldom escaped Nan’s vision.  Now she felt as if she had been wrong to let her thoughts go wandering, and her cheeks were almost as bright as the scarlet flowers themselves, as she clambered back to the wagon seat.  But the doctor was in deep thought, and had nothing more to say for the next mile or two.  It had become like a bad-case day suddenly and without apparent reason; but Nan had no suspicion that she was the patient in charge whose welfare seemed to the doctor to be dependent upon his own decisions.