"I believe I mentioned," said Mr. Ashburton, his fingers still hovering around the pocket containing his cigarette case, "that Miss Rankin and I are ever so sweet upon each other. She's a jolly, swell girl, if she did come from the Kentucky mountains. Lately she's acted awful queerly. She's awful affectionate one minute, and the next she turns me down like a perfect stranger. Last night I called at the hotel, and she met me at the door of their rooms. Nobody was in sight, and she gave me an awful nice kiss--er--engaged, you know, Doctor Prince--and then she fired away and gave me an awful hard slap in the face. 'I hate the sight of you,' she said; 'how dare you take the liberty!'" Mr. Ashburton drew an envelope from his pocket and extracted from it a sheet of note paper of a delicate heliotrope tint. "You might read this note, you know. Can't say if it's a medical case, 'pon my honour, but I'm awfully queered, don't you understand." Doctor Prince read the following lines: My dearest Ripley: Do come around this evening--there's a dear boy--and take me out somewhere. Mamma has a headache, and says she'll be glad to be rid of both of us for a while. 'Twas so sweet of you to send those pond lilies--they're just what I wanted for the east windows. You darling boy--you're so thoughtful and good--I'm sure you're worth all the love of Your very own Annabel. P.S.--On second thoughts, I will ask you not to call this evening, as I shall be otherwise engaged. Perhaps it has never occurred to you that there may be two opinions about the vast pleasure you seem to think your society affords others. Clothes and the small talk of clubhouses and racetracks hardly ever succeed in making a man without other accessories. Very respectfully, Annabel Rankin. Being deprived of the aid of his consolation cylinders, T. Ripley Ashburton sat, gloomy, revolving things in his mind. "Ah!" exclaimed Doctor Prince, aloud, but addressing the exclamation to himself; "driven from the arms to the heart!" He perceived that the mysterious hereditary contrariety had, indeed, taken up its lodging in that tender organ of the afflicted maiden. The gilded youth was dismissed, with the promise that Doctor Prince would make a professional call upon Miss Rankin. He did so soon, in company with Professor Adami, after they had discussed the strange course taken by this annoying heritage of the Bealls and Rankins. This time, as the location of the disorder required that the subject be approached with ingenuity, some diplomacy was exercised before the young lady could be induced to submit herself to the professor's art. But evidently she did so, and emerged from the trance as usual without a trace of unpleasant effect.