d quietly. So far as I knew, he had
never broken it.

"But I wasn't satisfied with that and I spoke to her mother.

"'You'd better keep an eye on Mynie, Althea,' I said carelessly.
'She's a pretty girl, you know, and men aren't always too careful what
they say to a girl as pretty as Mynie.'

"'Yes, seh, I'll look out,' she said, 'I'll look out, doctor--ef I kin.
Seems like I may have trouble, though. Is Mis' Stanchon comin' back
soon, seh?'

"'Probably not,' I said. 'It's too hot for her here. Why, what's the
matter? Anything wrong?'

"'I guess not, seh,' she answered, hesitating. 'I try to do my best,
doctor. But I will sholy be glad when she comes back. And would you
mind to speak to Mynie yo'self, seh?' and she slipped away.

"Well, I did speak to her. I spoke when I ran across her, strolling
with George in a deserted walk of an old park. I called her right into
the office the next morning.

"'Mynie,' I said sharply, 'what were you doing yesterday afternoon?
Out with it!'

"She opened her eyes and looked full at me for a second--something she
had never done.

"'I reckon 'twas my afternoon out, doctor!' she said softly, and that
was all. But it was enough. It wouldn't have made any difference what
she said, anyhow--the look was enough. It wasn't the look of our shy
little Mynie; her eyes had never gone any farther than my breakfast
table and the office door. But these eyes were slanting, curious,
audacious--conscious. That's what it was, they were conscious of
something--something I didn't know. And for a quick moment I
remembered, with no connection, apparently, that queer look in the eyes
of the parson's wife--the one that had the house before. I didn't know
why, and I dismissed it as irrelevant, for that poor creature had been
frightened to death, and Mynie was more self-confident than I had ever
seen her and not at all pleasant with it. I've never been of a temper
to stand any nonsense from servants, and the class of Northern darky
that was growing up in that city wasn't always easy to deal with. But
I remembered what a sterling creature the mother was, and I tried to be
gentle with the girl.

"'You understand, Mynie,' I said temperately, 'I only speak for your
good. I know the world better than you can and I don't want to see you
get into bad ways. Do you want to lose George his place? You've got a
good home, and you're with your mother, and there's no excuse for you
if you sli