"I shall miss you dreadfully, in the strange world beyond the seas. When you sit here and look into your fire I hope you'll see the face of your little pal in the picture sometimes. "HARRIET." He kissed the card and placed it in his pocket-book. At night the doctor was not at home. He rapped on his door next morning and got no answer. The girl said he had spent the night out--she didn't know where. As Stuart was about to leave for his office the doctor entered. His bloodshot eyes were sunken deep behind his brows, his face haggard and his shoulders drooped. Stuart knew he had tramped the streets all night in a stupor of hopeless misery. He stared at the young lawyer as if he didn't recognize him and then said feebly: "Don't go yet, my boy, wait a few moments. I just want to know that you're here." Stuart took his outstretched hand, and led him into the library. "I know why you tramped the streets; the old house is very lonely." The father placed his hand on his head, exclaiming: "I never knew what loneliness meant before!" The big hand fell in a gesture of despair. "It's dark and cold, I'm slipping down into a bottomless pit. There's not a soul in heaven or earth or hell to whom I can cry for help or pity." Stuart pressed his hand. "I understand. I'm younger than you, Doctor, but I, too, have walked that way, the _via dolorosa_ alone." The older man glared at him with a wild look in his eyes. "But you don't understand; that's what's the matter, and I can't tell you. I'm alone, I tell you, alone in a world of cold and darkness." "No, no," Stuart interrupted soothingly. "You're just all in; you must go to bed and sleep. Go at once, and you'll find something to cheer you in the little girl's room, a love letter for you." "Yes," he asked, the light slowly returning to his eyes, "a love letter from my baby?" "I saw it there after she left. Read it and go to sleep. I'll see you to-night." "Yes, yes, of course, my boy, that's what's the matter with me. I'm just all in for the lack of sleep. I've been raving half the time, I think. I'll go to bed at once." When Stuart returned early from his work in the afternoon he found a group of forlorn women and children standing beside the stoop. A pale, elfish-looking boy of ten, whose face appeared to be five years older, sat on the lower step crying. "What's the matter, kiddie?" he asked kindly. "I wants de doctor--me mudder's sick. She'll croak before mornin' ef he don't come--dey all want him." He waved his little dirty hand toward the others. "He ain't come around no more for a week. The goil says we can't see him, he's asleep." "I'll tell him you're here. The doctor's been ill himself." The boy rose quickly and doffed his ragged cap. "Tank ye, boss." He urged the doctor to go at once to see his patients. The work he loved would restore his spirits. He was dumfounded at the answer he received.