At this moment Nettie herself came into the room on some errand. Kike had heard her wheel stop--had looked toward the door--had caught her glance as she came in, and had, in that moment, become aware that he was not the only person in love. Was it, then, that the doctor wished to prevent the attachment going further that he had delicately reminded his guest of the approach of the time when he must leave? These thoughts aroused Kike from the lassitude of his slow convalescence. Nettie went back to her wheel, and set it humming louder than ever, but Kike heard now in its tones some note of anxiety that disturbed him. The doctor came and sat down by him and felt his pulse, ostensibly to see if he had fever, really to add yet another link to the chain of evidence that his surmise was correct. "Mr. Lumsden," said he, "a constitution so much impaired as yours cannot recuperate in a few days." "I know that, sir," said Kike, "and I am anxious to get to my mother's for a rest there, that I may not burden you any longer, and----" "You misunderstand me, my dear fellow, if you think I want to be rid of you. I wish you would stay with me always; I do indeed." For a moment Kike looked out of the window. To stay with the doctor always would, it seemed to him, be a heaven upon earth. But had he not renounced all thought of a heaven on earth? Had he not said plainly that here he had no abiding place? Having put his hand to the plow, should he look back? "But I ought not to give up my work." It was not in this tone that Kike would have spurned such a temptation awhile before. "Mr. Lumsden," said the doctor, "you see that I am useful here. I cannot preach a great deal, but I think that I have never done so much good as since I began to practice medicine. I need somebody to help me. I cannot take care of the farm and my practice too. You could look after the farm, and preach every Sunday in the country twenty miles round. You might even study medicine after awhile, and take the practice as I grow older. You will die, if you go on with your circuit-riding. Come and live with me, and be my----assistant." The doctor had almost said "my son." It was in his mind, and Kike divined it. "Think about it," said Dr. Morgan, as he rose to go, "and remember that nobody is obliged to kill himself." And all day long Kike thought and prayed, and tried to see the right; and all day long Nettie found occasion to come in on little errands, and as often as she came in did it seem clear to Kike that he would be justified in accepting Dr. Morgan's offer; and as often as she went out did he tremble lest he were about to betray the trust committed to him. _CHAPTER XXII._ THE DECISION.