In one of these, there was a woman who had come up from the country to take a place as cook in an hotel, but had fallen ill, and been sent to this hospital. Her name was Rayburn, and she came from Hemsborough. The arrangements of this hospital were supposed to be almost perfect, and the system of ventilation was quite new. Young Dr. Vernon was explaining it to Fred, and consequently their progress through the ward was slow. And if they had looked at the old woman in the corner of the room, they would have seen that for some reason she was frightened—or, at least, greatly excited—at the appearance of Fred Giles. Fred, however, saw nothing of this; neither did Dr. Vernon; but when the latter was going his rounds in the evening, No. 24 in the first ward was found in a rather excited state. "She's been quite odd all the afternoon, Dr. Vernon," said the nurse, "and she was going on nicely before." "I'm not worse," the woman said, "but I want to know, doctor, who was the tall young man that went through the ward with you this morning?" "A dark-haired fellow? His name is Giles, and he's the son—adopted son, I believe—of a Dr. Giles—no, his name is not Giles—but a doctor somewhere in the country. Why do you ask?" "Oh, I have no reason, sir; only I'm a curious woman—always was. Thank you, sir." "Did you think you knew him?" "Oh no; but he's like some one I knew once. I'm sleepy now—I'm much better." "Well, good night. Nurse, I don't think she's so well. Watch her carefully." "Is the young man going to be a doctor, Dr. Vernon?" inquired the patient, suddenly. "Yes, and a very promising student he is." "Has he—has he—a brother?" she asked in a low voice. "I don't know. What interests you so much in this particular student, may I ask?" She laughed in an odd, constrained manner, and replied— "Indeed, sir, you may ask much easier than I can answer. I have no reason at all." "Except that he is like some one you knew?" "Just so, sir." Mr. Vernon went away, this being the last bed he had to visit. Next day, the patient was very much worse, and it was some days before she again began to mend. When she was really recovering, Dr. Vernon spoke to her about Fred Giles, but she declared that she remembered nothing about him, and that she must have been dreaming. And in a day or two more, she left the hospital.