greedy,' said I; 'if you weren't your patients
might go to Hong Kong.' He thought it was a joke--hadn't time to find
out whether I was serious or not. I made him, Dr. Carruthers. It's time
for him to retire now. I shall mention to all my friends that you are my
body-physician."

She spoke like one of the Royal Family. But Dr. Carruthers had no
inclination to laugh. His eyes were dim as he murmured his
acknowledgments. It was fame, it was fortune, in those parts to be
approved by Lady Anne Hamilton. Hitherto she had been understood to
swear by Dr. Pownall.

"It means a deal to us, Lady Anne," he said, stumbling over his words.
"We had made up our minds to give up the big house and look for a slum
practice. The children--I have two living--are not very strong, any more
than Mildred. We put all we could into the venture of taking the house.
It was our bid for fortune."

"I wouldn't approve of it in a general way," said Lady Anne. "Still, it
has turned out well. Will your wife be at home to-morrow afternoon? I
should like to call upon her."

"She will be delighted."

Dr. Carruthers was regaining his self-control. He knew that the presence
of Lady Anne's barouche at his door for an hour in the afternoon would
be more potent in opening doors to him than if he had made the most
brilliant cure on record.

Mary was with Lady Anne next day when she went to call on Mrs.
Carruthers. It was characteristic of Lady Anne that she thought to tell
Jennings, the coachman, to drive up and down in front of the house and
round the sides, for Dr. Carruthers' house was a corner one with a
frontage to three sides. It was a hot summer day, and Jennings wondered
disrespectfully what bee the old lady had got in her bonnet. Such a
jangling of harness, such a flashing of polished surfaces! Every window
that commanded the three sides of Dr. Carruthers' house had an eye at
the pane. The tidings flew from one to another that Lady Anne Hamilton
was visiting Mrs. Carruthers, and was making a very long call.

Mildred was still on her sofa. She would have risen when Lady Anne came
in, but the old lady prevented her. Lady Anne could be royally kind when
it pleased her.

She drew a chair by the sofa and sat down. Mary, who had come in with
her, listened in some wonder to Lady Anne's sympathetic questions about
the children. That was something in which Mary was interested, in which
Mary had knowledge and experience; but though she listened she would