Dr. Tolbridge, a man of moderate height, and compactly built, with some touches of gray in his full, short beard, and all the light of youth in his blue eyes, had been for years the leading physician in and about Thorbury.  He lived on the outskirts of the little town, but the lines of his practice extended in every direction into the surrounding country.

The doctor’s wife was younger than he was; she had a high opinion of him, and had learned to diagnose him, mentally, morally, and physically, with considerable correctness.  It may be asserted, in fact, that the doctor seldom made a diagnosis of a patient as exact as those she made of him.  But then it must be remembered that she had only one person to exert her skill upon, while he had many.

The Tolbridge house was one of the best in the town, but the family was small.  There was but one child, a boy of fourteen, who was now away at school.  The doctor had readjusted the logs upon the andirons, and was just putting the tongs in their place when a maidservant came in.

“There’s a boy here, sir,” she said, “from Miss Panney.  She’s sent for you in a hurry.”

In the same instant the doctor and his wife turned in their chairs and fixed their eyes upon the servant, but there was nothing remarkable about her; she had delivered her message and stood waiting.  The doctor’s fists were clenched and there was a glitter in his eye.  He seemed on the point of saying something in a loud voice, but he changed his mind, and quietly said, “Tell the boy to come here,” and turned back to the fire.  Then, when the girl had gone, he struck his fist upon his knee and ejaculated, “Confound Miss Panney!”

“Harry!” exclaimed his wife, “you should not speak of your patients in that way, but I agree with you perfectly;” and then, addressing the boy, who had just entered, and who stood by the door, “Do you mean to say that there is anything serious the matter with Miss Panney?” she said severely.  “Does she really want to see the doctor immediately?”

“That’s what they told me, ma’am,” said the boy, looking about him at the books and the furniture.  “They told me that she was took bad, and that I must come here first to tell the doctor to come right away, and if he wasn’t at home to leave that message.”

“How did you come?” asked Mrs. Tolbridge; “on horseback?”

“No, ma’am; with a wagon.”

“You could have come a great deal quicker without the wagon,” said she.

“Oh, yes, but then I’ve got to stop at the store going back.”

“That will do,” said Mrs. Tolbridge; “you can go now and attend to your other business.”

The doctor was quietly looking into the fire, and as his wife turned to him he gave a little snort.

“I was just beginning to get up enough energy,” he remarked, “to think of putting on my slippers.”

“Well, put them on,” said she, in a very decided tone.