"Yes," said Dora; "she gave me a card as we were going out, and insisted
on my taking it. It is in my bag at home."

Miss Panney was silent for a moment, and was evidently endeavoring to
cool her feelings so as to speak without indignation.

"Kitty Tolbridge," she said presently, "I think you have deliberately
turned your back on one of the greatest opportunities ever offered to a
woman with a valuable husband. There are husbands who have no value, and
who might as well be hurried to their graves by indigestion as in any
other way, but the doctor is not one of these. Now, whatever you know of
that woman proves her to be the very person who should be in your kitchen
at this moment; and whatever you have said against her is all the result
of your imagination. If I were in your place, I would take the next
train for the city; and before I closed my eyes this night, I would know
whether or not such a prize as that were in my reach. I say prize because
I never heard of such a chance being offered to a doctor's wife in a
country town. Now what are you going to do about it, Kitty? If your
regard for your husband's physical condition is not sufficient to make
you look on this matter as I do, think of his soul. If you don't believe
that true religion and good cooking go hand in hand, wait a year and then
see what sort of a husband you will have."

Mrs. Tolbridge felt that she ought to resent this speech, that she ought
to be, at least, a little angry; but when she was a small girl, Miss
Panney was an old woman who sometimes used to scold her. She had not
minded the scoldings very much then, and she could not bring herself to
mind this scolding very much now. Occasionally she had scolded Miss
Panney, and the old lady had never been angry.

"I shall not go to the city," she said, with a smile; "but I will write,
and ask all the questions. Then our consciences will be easier."

Miss Panney rose to her feet.

"Do it, I beg of you," she said, "and do it this morning. And now, Dora,
if you walked here, I will drive you home in my phaeton, for you ought to
send that address to Mrs. Tolbridge without delay."

As the old roan jogged away from the doctor's house, Miss Panney remarked
to her companion, "I needn't have hurried you off so soon, Dora, for it
is three hours before the next mail will leave; but I did want Mrs.
Tolbridge to sit down at once and write that letter without being
interrupted by anything which you might have co