She was a tall, well-dressed, stoutly built young woman, with large, strong features, and an abundant supply of blonde hair, partially covered with a sombre brown bonnet. Her eyes were big and blue, and her voice quite pleasant to hear. "This way, miss," said Bob, from his high stool behind the desk. "What name, please?" "Frances Emiline Beeks." "Beeks, miss? Yes, miss. Let's see--BA to BE, Barker, Becker, Beech, Beeks! Frances Emiline Beeks. Eighty-seven dollars and fifty cents, if you please." "That seems like a good deal of money," observed Miss Beeks. "Well, now, it is, miss," said Bob. "But you use a kerridge a good deal, miss, mostly every day and sometimes oftener. You've called more this month than ever. Why don't you keep a hoss, miss? That ud be the cheapest." "It certainly would if my bills are to run up like this. However, I'm too busy now to talk about it. Let me have your pen while I fill out this check. There--is that right?" "Yes, miss, thank you. I think that sorrel would suit you nicely. He's only--" "Well, I'll think it over. Good-morning!" Miss Beeks went out and Mr. Cinch, who had been regarding her over his glasses, inquired, "Who's the young woman, Bob?" "I don't know, sir, hardly," said Bob, "but I think she's some kind of a doctor." "She seems to be makin' pretty good bills." "And they gets better all the time. Whatever she doctors, it's a good business, for she pays her bill the day after she gets it every time." "What makes you think she doctors?" "She said so, as near as I could make out. She come in here one day last month--it was when I had that staving big bile on my elbow, you remember?" "Yes." "Well, I was settin' here huggin' that bile, and it was just thumpin'. Seemed to me 's if they was a whole bag o' carpet-tacks stuck in that arm. I was so used up I couldn't walk around, and so stuck full of pain I couldn't set still. Well, 's I said, she come in and ordered a coach, and while it was being fetched around she give me a look and she says, 'What's the matter?' I says 'I got a bile.' "'A what?' says she. "'A bile,' says I. "'Oh, no,' says she. "'Well, if you don't think so,' says I, 'look there,' says I, and I prodooced the bile, which 'peared to me to be pretty good evidence. "She looked at it and then says, as cool as you please, 'Well, what of it?' [Illustration: "'A WHAT?' SAYS SHE. 'A BILE?' SAYS I.'"]