"  Mrs.  Miller,"  he  said,  kindly,  "  do  n't  be
alarmed  about  your  child.  She  is  doing
well ;  and,  after  you  have  given  her  the
medicine  Mrs.  Flanagan  will  bring,  you  '11
find  her  much  better,  to-morrow.  She  must
be  kept  cool  and  quiet,  you  know,  and  she  '11
be  all  right  soon."

"  Oh !  Dr.  Renton,  I  am  very  grateful,"
was  the  tremulous  reply ;  "  and  we  will  fol
low  all  directions,  sir.  It  is  hard  to  keep
her  quiet,  sir ;  we  keep  as  still  as  we  can,
and  the  other  children  are  very  still ;  but
the  street  is  very  .noisy  all  the  daytime  and
evening,  sir,  and — "

"  I  know  it,  Mrs.  Miller.  And  1  'in  afraid
those  people  down-stairs  disturb  you  some
what."

"  They  make  some  stir  in  the  evening,
sir ;  and  it 's  rather  loud  in  the  street  some
times,  at  night.  The  folks  on  the  lower
floors  are  troubled  a  good  deal,  they  say."

Well  they  may  be.  Listen  to  the  bawl
ing  outside,  now,  cold  as  it  is.  Hark !
A  hoarse  group  on  the  opposite  side
walk  beginning  a  song.  "  Ro-o-1  on,  sil-ver
mo-o-n  " — .  The  silver  moon  ceases  to  roll
in  a  sudden  explosion  of  yells  and  laughter,
sending  up  broken  fragments  of  curses,


THE  GHOST.  69

ribald  jeers,  whoopings,  and  cat-calls,  high
into  the  night  air.  "  Ga-1-a-ng !  Hi-hi !
What  ye-e-h  'lout !  "

"  This  is  outrageous,  Mrs.  Miller.  Where's
the  watchman  ? "

She  smiled  faintly.  "He  takes  one  of
them  off  occasionally,  sir ;  but  he 's  afraid  ;
they  beat  him  sometimes."  A  long  pause.
