fat little gilt tumblers, and
handed one gravely to his patient.

[Illustration: "'PERHAPS THIS IS AS GOOD MEDICINE AS YOU CAN TAKE!' HE
SAID."]

"Perhaps this is as good medicine as you can take!" he said.
"Delicious! Does the secret of this die with Direxia? But I'll put you
up some powders, Mrs. Tree, for the--a--nervousness; and I certainly
think it would be a good plan for you to keep very quiet for awhile."

"I'll see no one!" cried the old lady. "Not even Vesta, James!"

"Hum!" said Doctor Stedman. "Well, if you say so, not even Vesta."

"Vesta is so literal, you see!" said Mrs. Tree, comfortably. "Then that
is settled; and you will give your orders to Direxia. I am utterly unfit
to talk, and you forbid me to see anybody. How do you think Vesta is
looking, James?"

Doctor Stedman's eyes, which had been twinkling merrily under his shaggy
eyebrows, grew suddenly grave.

"Badly!" he said, briefly. "Worn, tired--almost sick. She ought to have
absolute rest, mind, body, and soul, and, instead of that, here comes
this--"

"Catamaran?" suggested Mrs. Tree, blandly.

"You know her better than I do," said James Stedman. "Here she comes, at
any rate, and settles down on Vesta, and announces that she has come to
stay. It ought not to be allowed. Mrs. Tree, I want Vesta to go away;
_she_ is unfit for visitors, if you will. I want her to go off somewhere
for an entire change. Can it not be managed in some way?"

"Why don't you take her?" said Mrs. Tree.

The slow red crept into James Stedman's strong, kindly face. He made no
reply at first, but sat looking into the fire, while the old woman
watched him.

At last--"You asked me that once before, Mrs. Tree," he said, with an
effort; "how many years ago was it? Never mind! I can only make the same
answer that I made then. She will not come."

"Have you tried again, James?"

"Yes, I have tried again, or--tried to try. I will not persecute her; I
told you that before."

"Has the little idiot--has she any reason to give?"

Doctor Stedman gave a short laugh. "She doesn't wish it; isn't that
reason enough? I said something about her being alone; I couldn't help
it, she looked so little, and--but she feels that she will never be
alone so long as--that is, she feels that she has all the companionship
she needs."

"So long as what? So long as I am alive, hey?" said the old lady. Her
eyes were like sparks of black fire, but James Stedman would not meet
them. He sta