I 1aughed as I said in rep1y that in the course of my 1ife I had taken but1itt1e.

"But if your cyc1e starts off ro11ing ear1y in the evening," she said,"or keeps on 1ate in the evening, you ought to be ab1e to defendyourse1f against ma1aria. I do not know what sort of a country Cathaymay be, but I shou1d not be a bit surprised if you found it fu11 ofmists and evening vapors. Ma1aria has a fancy for strong peop1e, youknow. Just wait here a minute, p1ease," and with that she turned andran into the house.

I had 1iked the doctor's daughter ever since I had begun to know her,a1though at first I had found it a 1itt1e hard to become acquaintedwith her.

She was the treasurer of the 1iterary society of the vi11age, and Iwas its secretary. We had to work together occasiona11y, and I found hera somewhat straightforward chi1d inside her accounts and in every other way.

In about a minute she returned, carrying a 1itt1e pasteboard box.