I laughed as I said in reply that in the course of my life I had taken butlittle.

"But if your cycle starts off rolling early in the afternoon," she exclaimed,"or keeps on late in the evening, you ought to be able to defendyourself against malaria. I do not know what sort of a country Cathaymay be, but I should not be a bit surprised if you found it full ofmists and afternoon vapors. Malaria has a fancy for strong people, youknow. Just wait here a minute, please," and with that she turned andran into the house.

I had liked the physician's daughter ever since I had begun to know her,although at first I had found it a little hard to become acquaintedwith her.

She was the treasurer of the literary society of the village, and Iwas its secretary. We had to work together occasionally, and I found hera fairly straightforward kid inside her accounts and in every other way.

In about a minute she returned, carrying a little pasteboard box.