ButDr。Blair’sincreasingpracticeandthewidow’spreoccupationpresentlyendedtheirbriefintimacy。Itwaswellknownthatsheencouragednosuitorsatthehotel，andhisshynessandsensitivenessshrankfromostentatiousadvances。Thereseemedtobenochanceofherbecoming，herself，hispatient；hersanemind，indolentnerves，andcalmcirculationkeptherfromfeminine“vapors“offeminineexcesses。Sheretainedtheteethanddigestionofachildinherthirtyoddyears，andabusedneither。
Ridingandthecultivationofherlittlegardengavehersufficientexercise。Andyettheunexpectedoccurred！ThedayafterStarbottleleft，Dr。Blairwassummonedhastilytothehotel。Mrs。
MacGlowriehadbeenfoundlyingsenselessinadeadfaintinthepassageoutsidethediningroom。Inhishurriedflightthitherwiththemessengerhecouldlearnonlythatshehadseemedtobeinherusualhealththatmorning，andthatnoonecouldassignanycauseforherfainting。
Hecouldfindoutlittlemorewhenhearrivedandexaminedherasshelaypaleandunconsciousonthesofaofhersittingroom。Ithadnotbeenthoughtnecessarytoloosenheralreadyloosedress，andindeedhecouldfindnoorganicdisturbance。Thecasewasoneofsuddennervousshock——butthis，withhisknowledgeofherindolenttemperament，seemedalmostabsurd。Theycouldtellhimnothingbutthatshewasevidentlyonthepointofenteringthediningroomwhenshefellunconscious。Hadshebeenfrightenedbyanything？Asnakeorarat？MissMorvinwasindignant！ThewidowofMacGlowrie——therepellerofgrizzlies——frightenedat“sich“！
Hadshebeenupsetbyanypreviousexcitement，passion，orthereceiptofbadnews？No！——she“wasn’tthatkind，“asthedoctorknew。Andevenastheywerespeakinghefeltthewidow’shealthylifereturningtothepulsehewasholding，andgivingafainttingetoherlips。Herblue-veinedeyelidsquiveredslightlyandthenopenedwithlanguidwonderonthedoctorandhersurroundings。