the parlor, followed by Mrs. Tolbridge.
At the front door she stopped and turned her wrathful and inexorable
countenance upon the doctor's wife; then she deliberately shook her
skirts, stamped her feet, and went out of the door.

When Dr. Tolbridge heard what had happened, he was sorely troubled. "I
must go to see her," he said. "I cannot allow her to remain in that state
of mind. I think I can explain the affair and make her look at it more as
we do, although, I must admit, now that I recall some things she recently
said to me, that she may have some grave objections to Cicely's residence
at Cobhurst. But I shall see her, and I think I can pacify her."

Mrs. Tolbridge was not so hopeful as her husband; he had not seen Miss
Panney at the front door. But she could not bring herself to regret the
advice she had given him when he proposed consulting Miss Panney in
regard to the Dranes' removal.

"I shall never object to La Fleur," she said to herself. "I will bear all
her impositions and queernesses for the sake of his health and pleasure,
but I cannot give up my little room to Cicely Drane."

And that very hour she caused to be replaced in the said room the desk
and other appurtenances which had been taken out when the room had been
arranged for the secretary.

These changes had hardly been made, when Dora Bannister called.

"Miss Panney was at our house to-day," said the girl, "and I cannot
imagine what was the matter with her. I never saw anybody in such a
state of mind."

"What did she say?" asked Mrs. Tolbridge.

"She said very little, and that was one of the strangest things about
her. But she sat and stared and stared and stared at me, as if I were
some sort of curiosity on exhibition, and did not answer anything I said
to her. I was awfully nervous, though I knew from the few words she had
said that she was not angry with me; but she kept on staring and staring
and staring, and then she suddenly leaned forward and put her arms around
me and kissed me. Then she sat back in her chair again, slapped her two
hands upon her knees, and said, speaking to herself, 'It shall be done. I
am a fool to have a doubt about it.' And then she went without another
word. Now was not that simply amazing? Did she come here, and did she act
in that way?"

"She was here," said Mrs. Tolbridge, "but she did not do anything so
funny as that."

"Well, I suppose I shall find out some day what she means," said Dora.
"And now, Mrs.