“How is my little patient to-day?”
A faint scream broke from Maddy’s lips, and she involuntarily raised her hands to thrust the stranger away. This black-eyed, black-haired, thick-set man was not Dr. Holbrook; he was taller, and more slight, while she had not been deceived in the dark, brown eyes, which, even while they seemed to be mocking her, had worn a strange fascination for the maiden of fourteen and a half. The doctor fancied her delirious again, and this reassured him at once. Dropping the bouquet upon the bed, he clasped one of her hands in his, and without the slightest idea that she comprehended him, said soothingly:
“Poor child, are you afraid of me—the doctor,—Dr. Holbrook?”
Maddy did not try to withdraw her hand, but, raising her eyes, swimming in tears, to his face, she stammered out:
“What does it mean, and where is he—the one who—asked me—those dreadful questions? I thought that was Dr. Holbrook.”
Here was a dilemma—something for which the doctor was not prepared, and with a feeling that he would not betray Guy, he said:
“No; that was some one else—a friend of mine—but I was there in the back office. Don’t you remember me? Please don’t grow excited. Compose yourself, and I will explain all by and by. This is wrong. ’Twill never do,” and talking thus rapidly he wiped away the sweat, about which grandma had told him.
Maddy was disappointed, and it took her some time to rally sufficiently to convince the doctor that she was not delirious, as he termed it; but composing herself at last, she answered all his questions, and then, as he saw her eyes wandering toward the bouquet, he suddenly remembered that it was not yet presented, and placing it in her hands he said:
“You like flowers, I know, and these are for you. I——”
“Oh! thank you, thank you, doctor: I am so glad. I love them so much, and you are so kind. What made you think to bring them? I’ve wanted flowers so badly; but I could not have them, because I was sick and did not work in the garden. It was so good in you;” and in her delight Maddy’s tears dropped upon the fair blossoms.