"He shan't come in, child. If he does I'll vaccinate him in four places," he declared energetically. "You hear, Raymond?"
"I hear, doctor, and accept the condition. If I did not that 'otherwise' means that Beatrice will fight it out on the stand she has taken if it takes all night."
"Your father will stay out, Miss Beatrice. Now open the door."
Beatrice gladly obeyed. The physician entered briskly, followed by a tall colored woman.
"Well, Miss Bee," he said genially with a searching glance at her pale face, "you've had rather a siege of it, haven't you? How long have you been here?"
"All this afternoon," answered Bee, conscious all at once of being very tired. She sat down suddenly, and asked weakly: "What are you going to do?"
"To vaccinate you, my young lady," was the response. "Hoity Toity!" as the girl turned pale. "What's this? Why, you're not afraid, are you? Tut, tut! Don't you know that it takes more courage to stay for hours with a woman with the small pox that to endure a little scratch?"
"I am not afraid," faltered Bee who was trembling excessively.
"I see." The physician patted her hand reassuringly. "Why did you stay here, child? There was nothing you could do for Rachel."
"Nothing but to give her a drink. She was so thirsty."