led to array herself in her
best gown and unbend her majesty whenever he was expected to appear. The
acquaintance started during their camping expedition had rapidly
ripened into a mutual liking, and it was surprising to see how often the
younger man found time to drop in at Mr. Everett's office, late in the
afternoon, for a few minutes' conversation. Once there, it was only
natural that he should walk home with his friend, and, after a little
polite hesitation, accept his invitation to come in for a call. Little
by little the calls grew in length until, from accepting occasional
invitations to dine, the doctor came to stay, quite as a matter of
course, although he still made a feeble pretence of rising to go away,
before yielding to their suggestion of dinner and a game of whist later
on in the evening. At length, even this form was abandoned, and it grew
to be an established fact that, whenever the doctor dropped in for an
afternoon call, an extra plate and chair should be included in the
dinner preparations, and that the card table should be brought out as
soon as the meal was over. It also soon came to be a matter of course
that Louise and the doctor should always play together, while Mr.
Everett and Mrs. Pennypoker ranged themselves against them, and devoted
their attention to the game with unswerving vigilance. Not even Mrs.
Pennypoker had been able to withstand the doctor's genial, hearty
manner; and, in his presence, she laid aside her eye-glasses and her
dignity, and laughed at all his jokes in an appreciative fashion, which
Ned and Grant were quite at a loss to understand, since she never paid
the slightest heed to their attempts at facetiousness.

In spite of the strict etiquette of the game which demands such perfect
silence and watchfulness, it is strange how rapidly a newly-formed
acquaintance can grow into strong friendship around a whist table.
Everything conspires to help it on: the absorption of the opponents in
their own hands; the chivalrous offer, on one side, to do all the
dealing, and the grateful accepting of the courtesy on the other; and,
most of all, the moment of hesitation over a doubtful play, followed by
the silent meeting of the eyes, as the trick falls to one or the other.
And yet, neither Louise nor Dr. Brownlee realized in the least whither
they were so rapidly drifting. The doctor still regarded Mr. Everett as
his chief friend in the family, and thankfully accepted his hospitality,
wh