"You ought not to ask it. The circumstances of the case are peculiar. I will not take it." "Will you take a note to Goodwin?" "Not on this business." Pinkey was startled at the emotion she showed, and looked at her inquiringly: "You were a schoolmate of Morton's--of Goodwin's, I mean--and a body would think that you might be the identical sweetheart that sent him adrift for joining the Methodists--and then joined the Methodists herself, eh?" Patty said nothing, but turned away. "By the holy Moses," said Pinkey, in a half-soliloquy, "if that's the case, I'll break the net of that fisherwoman this time or drown myself a-trying." Patty had intended to read the Bible to her patient, but her mind was so disturbed that she thought best to say good-morning. Pinkey roused himself from a reverie to call her back. "Will you answer me one question?" he asked. "Does Goodwin want to marry this girl? Is he happy about it, do you think?" "I am sure he isn't," said Patty, reproaching herself in a moment that she had said so much. Patty made some kindly remark to Mrs. Barkins as she went out, walked briskly to the fence, halted, looked off over the field a moment, turned round and came back. When she re-entered Pinkey's room he had put on his great false-whiskers and wolf-skin cap, and she trembled at the transformation. He started, but said: "Don't be afraid, Miss Lumsden, I am not meditating mischief. I will not hurt you, certainly, and you must not betray me. Now, what is it?" "Don't do anything wrong in this matter," said Patty. "Don't do anything that'll lie heavy on your soul when you come to die.--I'm afraid you'll do something wrong for Mr. Goodwin's sake, or--mine." "No. But if I was able to ride I'd do one thunderin' good thing. But I am too weak to do anything, plague on it!" "I wish you would put these deceits in the fire and do right," she said, indicating his disguises. "I am disappointed to see that you are going back to your old ways." He made no reply, but laid off his disguises and lay down on the bed, exhausted. And Patty departed, grieved that all her labors were in vain, while Pinkey only muttered to himself, "I'm too weak, confound it!" _CHAPTER XXXIII._ THE ALABASTER BOX BROKEN. Not until Dr. Morgan came in at noon did any one venture to open the door of Kike's room. He found the patient much better. But the improvement could not be permanent, the sedative of mental rest and the tonic of joy had come too late. "Morton," said Kike, "I want Dolly to do me one more service. Nettie will explain to you what it is." After a talk with Nettie, Morton rode Dolly away, leading Kike's horse with him. The doctor thought he could guess what Morton went for, but, even in melancholy circumstances, lovers, like children, are fond of having secrets, and he did not try to penetrate that which it gave Kike and Nettie pleasure to keep to themselves. At ten o'clock that night Morton came back without Kike's horse.