“You don’t want me to be unhappy and worried about you when I get into my office?”

“No, grandpa.”

“And you liked Dr. Ballard, I’m sure, when you came out with him on the train day before yesterday.”

“Day before yesterday!  Oh, was it?  It seems a year ago!  But I wanted to come and see you so much I was willing to let father and mother go away, and I never thought that I wouldn’t know when error was getting hold of me.

“Well, never mind now, Jewel.  Dr. Ballard will help you, and as soon as you get well I’ll take you for a fine long drive, if you’ll be good.  I’m sure you don’t want to trouble me.”

“No.”  Another half sob caught the child’s throat.  “Here is something I bought for you yesterday, grandpa.”  She drew from under the further pillow the yellow chicken, somewhat disheveled, and put it in his hand.  “I meant to give it to you last night, but Mrs. Forbes kept me upstairs because she thought she ought to make me sorry, and so I couldn’t.”

The stockbroker cleared his throat as he regarded his new possession.  “It was kind of you, Jewel,” he returned.  “I shall stand it on my desk.  Now—­ahem”—­looking around the big empty room, “you won’t be lonely, I hope, until the doctor comes?”

“No, I’d like to be alone, I have so much work to do.”

“Dear me, dear me!” thought Mr. Evringham, “this is very distressing.  She seems to have lucid intervals, and then so quickly gets flighty again.”

“Besides, I like to think of the Ravine of Happiness,” continued the child, “and the brook.  Supposing I could lay my cheek down in the brook now.  The water is so cool, and it laughs and whispers such pretty things.”

“Now if you would try to go to sleep, Jewel,” said Mr. Evringham, “it would please me very much.  Good-by.  I shall come to see you again to-night.”  He stooped his tall form and kissed the child’s forehead, and her hot lips pressed his hand, then he went out.

At the foot of the stairs he encountered Mrs. Forbes waiting, and hastily put behind him the hand that held the chicken.

“Well, sir?”

“She’s very badly off, very badly off, I’m afraid.”

“I hope not, sir.  Children are always flighty if they have a little fever.  What about dinner, sir?”

“Have anything you please,” returned Mr. Evringham briefly.  “I wish to see Dr. Ballard as soon as he arrives.  Tell Zeke I shall not go until the next train.”  With these words the broker entered his study, and his housekeeper looked after him in amazement.  It was the first time she had ever seen him indifferent concerning his dinner.

“I wonder if he thinks she’s got something catching,” she soliloquized.  Then a sudden thought occurred to her.  “No great loss without some small gain,” she thought grimly. “’T would clear the house.”

She watched at the window until she saw Dr. Ballard’s buggy approaching.  Then she opened the door and met him.