Of the particulars of his treatment, we will not speak.  He was of the exhaustive school, and took blood freely; striking at the inflammation through a reduction of the vital system.  When he left his patient that night, she was free from pain, breathing feebly, and without constriction of the chest.  In the morning, he found her with considerable fever, and suffering from a return of the pleuritic pain.  Her pulse was low and quick, and had a wiry thrill under the fingers.  The doctor had taken blood very freely on the night before, and hesitated a little on the question of opening another vein, or having recourse to cups.  As the lancet was at hand, and most easy of use, the vein was opened, and permitted to flow until there was a marked reduction of pain.  After this, an anodyne diaphoretic was prescribed, and the doctor retired from the chamber with Mrs. Grant.  He was much more particular, now, in his inquiries about his patient and the immediate cause of her illness.  On learning that she had been permitted to remain all day in a cold room, with wet feet and damp clothing, he shook his head soberly, and remarked, partly speaking to himself, that doctors were not of much use in suicide or murder cases.  Then he asked, abruptly, and with considerable excitement of manner—­

“In heaven’s name! who permitted this think to be done?  In what family did it occur?”

“The lady for whom she worked yesterday is named Mrs. Lowe.”

“Mrs. Lowe!”

“Yes, sir.”

“And she permitted that delicate girl to sit in wet clothing, in a room without fire, on a day like yesterday?”

“It is so, doctor.”

“Then I call Mrs. Lowe a murderer!” The doctor spoke with excess of feeling.

“Do you think Mary so very ill, doctor?” asked Mrs. Grant.

“I do, ma’am.”

“She is free from pain now.”

“So she was when I left her last night; and I expected to find her showing marked improvement this morning.  But, to my concern, I find her really worse instead of better.”

“Worse, doctor?  Not worse!”

“I say worse to you, Mrs. Grant, in order that you may know how much depends on careful attendance.  Send for the medicine I have prescribed at once, and give it immediately.  It will quiet her system and produce sleep.  If perspiration follows, we shall be on the right side.  I will call in again through the day.  If the pain in her side returns, send for me.”

The pain did return, and the doctor was summoned.  He feared to strike his lancet again; but cupped freely over the right side, thus gaining for the suffering girl a measure of relief.  She lay, after this, in a kind of stupor for some hours.  On coming out of this, she no longer had the lancinating pain in her side with every expansion of the lungs; but, instead, a dull pain, attended by a cough and tightness of the chest.  The cough was, at first, dry, unsatisfactory, and attended with anxiety.  Then came a tough mucus, a little streaked with blood.  The expectoration soon became freer, and assumed a brownish hue.  A low fever accompanied these bad symptoms.