As Dr.Ballard leaned back in his chair to wait,he looked up at Mr.
Evringham."It is very gratifying,"he said,"to find these conditions at this hour of the day.I felt a little more uneasy this morning than I confessed."He nodded in satisfactory thought."I grant you medicine is not an exact science,it is an art,an art.You can't prescribe by hard and fast rules.You must take into consideration the personal equation."Presently he leaned forward and removed the thermometer.His eyes smiled as he read it,and he lifted it toward Mr.Evringham.
"I can't see it,boy."
"Well,there's nothing to see.She hasn't a particle of temperature.
Look here,little one,"frowning at Jewel,"if everybody recovered as quickly as you have,where would we doctors be?"Turning again and addressing Mr.Evringham,he went on,"I'm particularly interested in this result because that is a remedy over which there has been some altercation.There's one man to whom I shall be glad to relate this experience."The doctor leaned toward his little patient."Jewel,I'm not so surprised as I might be at your improvement,"he said kindly."You will have to excuse me for a little righteous deception.I put medicine into that glass of water,and now you're glad I did,aren't you?I'd like you to tell me,little girl,as near as you can,how often you took it?""I didn't take it,"replied the child.
Dr.Ballard drew back a little."You mean,"he said after a moment,"you took it only once?""No,sir,I didn't take it at all."