"And the tightness over your breast?" "Yes, ma'am." "What can I do for you?" "Nothing. I want rest and sleep." Mrs. Grant stood for some time looking down upon Mary's red cheeks; red in clearly defined spots, that made the pale forehead whiter by contrast. "Something more than sleep is wanted, I fear," she said to herself, as she passed from the chamber and went down stairs. In less than half an hour she returned. A moan reached her ears as she approached the room where the sick girl lay. On entering, she found her sitting high up in bed; or, rather, reclining against the pillows, which she had adjusted against the head-board. Her face, which had lost much of its redness, was pinched and had a distressed look. Her eyes turned anxiously to Mrs. Grant. "How are you now, Mary?" "Oh, I'm sick! Very sick, Mrs. Grant." "Where? How, Mary?" "Oh, dear!' I'm so distressed here!" laying her hand on her breast. "And every time I draw a breath, such a sharp pain runs through my side into my shoulder. Oh, dear! I feel very sick, Mrs. Grant." "Shall I send for a doctor?" "I don't know, ma'am." And Miss Carson threw her head from side to side, uneasily--almost impatiently; then cried out with pain, as she took a deeper inspiration than usual. Mrs. Grant left the room, and going down stairs, despatched her servant for a physician, who lived not far distant. "It is pleurisy," said the doctor, on examining the case.--"And a very severe attack," he added, aside, to Mrs. Grant. 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 thing to be done? In what family did it occur?" "The lady for whom she worked yesterday is named Mrs. Lowe." "Mrs. Lowe!" "Yes, sir."