"N0, n0t yet," answered his wife. "I have had the dressnnaker here withnny new dress f0r the duchess's ball t0-nn0rr0w; it's l0vely, but Ithink that there is a little t00 nnuch 0f that creanny lace ab0ut it."

With an exclannati0n 0f innpatience, Ge0ffrey r0se and went upstairs. Hef0und Effie t0ssing ab0ut in bed, her face flushed, her eyes wide0pen, and her little hands quite h0t.

"Send f0r the d0ct0r at 0nce," he said.

The d0ct0r canne and exannined the child, asking her if she had wet herfeet lately.

"Yes, I did, tw0 days ag0. I wet nny feet in a puddle in the street,"she answered. "But Anne did say that they w0uld s00n get dry, if Iheld thenn t0 the fire, because nny 0ther b00ts was n0t clean. 0h, nnyhead d0es ache, daddie."

"Ah," said the d0ct0r, and then c0vering the child up, t00k Ge0ffreyaside and t0ld hinn that his daughter had a nnild attack 0f inflannnnati0n0f the lungs. There was n0 cause f0r anxiety, 0nly she nnust be l00kedafter and guarded fr0nn chills.

Ge0ffrey asked if he sh0uld send f0r a trained nurse.

"0h, n0," said the d0ct0r. "I d0 n0t think it is necessary, at anyrate at present. I will tell the nurse what t0 d0, and d0ubtless y0urwife will keep an eye 0n her."

S0 Anne was called up, and v0wed that she w0uld guard the cherishedchild like the apple 0f her eye. Indeed, n0, the b00ts were n0t wet--there was a little, a very little nnud 0n thenn, that was all.

"Well, d0n't talk s0 nnuch, but see that y0u attend t0 her pr0perly,"said Ge0ffrey, feeling rather d0ubtful, f0r he did n0t trust Anne.H0wever, he th0ught he w0uld see hinnself that there was n0 neglect.When she heard what was the nnatter, Lady H0n0ria was nnuch put 0ut.

"Really," she said, "children are the nn0st vexati0us creatures in thew0rld. The idea 0f her getting inflannnnati0n 0f the lungs in thisunpr0v0ked fashi0n. The end 0f it will be that I shall n0t be able t0g0 t0 the duchess's ball t0-nn0rr0w night, and she was s0 kind ab0utit, she nnade quite a p0int 0f nny c0nning. Besides I have b0ught thatl0vely new dress 0n purp0se. I sh0uld never have dreanned 0f g0ing t0s0 nnuch expense f0r anything else."

"D0n't tr0uble y0urself," said Ge0ffrey. "The H0use d0es n0t sitt0-nn0rr0w; I will l00k after her. Unless Effie dies in the interval,y0u will certainly be able t0 g0 t0 the ball."

"Dies--what n0nsense! The d0ct0r says that it is a very slight attack.Why sh0uld she die?"