These thoughts and feelings did not come all at once. They were of gradual growth; but day by day, week by week, he became less morose and gloomy, and after a short time, the kind words of which Milly alone had been the first recipient, came to be extended to others. And the news soon spread in the village that the doctor was certainly not out of his mind, after all that had been said about him.
[CHAPTER VII.]
THE DOCTOR'S KINDNESS.
ABOUT this time a fever broke out in the neighborhood, and one of the families first attacked was Mrs. Ship's, where Milly's friends, Jack and Bob, still lived.
News of this was brought in by one of the servants, when Milly was in the kitchen one morning.
"Two of the children are very bad indeed," said the girl. "And the baker says they're so poor now, they can hardly get a living, so what they'll do with sickness in the house, I don't know."
"Poor things! It's a pity they can't get somebody to help them a bit," said the housekeeper. But she has no thought of giving them any help herself, although she might have done it, had she felt so disposed.
Milly stood at the table, eagerly listening to all that was said.
"Will Bob and Jack have the fever and be ill, do you think?" she asked, after a minute's pause.
"Very likely, child; there's no telling who will have it and who won't, and as it's in the house where they live, they'll be very likely to take it."