not make and cannot end, he will choose
absence and imperative duty as his only relief."

As she stood up, red and angry, she said, "You have only hurt and not
helped me." She said no other word as he went with her to the wagon. He
looked after her a moment.

"Well, well! There are many kinds of fools--an intelligent fool is the
worst. I didn't help her any, and by George! I am sorry."

When at twilight the doctor came home from distant visits to farms, he
met Leila near to his door. "I want to see you a minute," she said, as
she slipped out of her saddle.

"A woman's minute or a man's minute?"

"A man's."

She secured her mare as he said, "Well, come in. It's rather amusing,
Leila. Sit down. I've had James Penhallow here to say his wife's breaking
down. I've had Mrs. Penhallow here to say James Penhallow is ill. Except
the maids and the cats and you, all Grey Pine is diagnosing one another.
And now, you come! Don't tell me you're ill--I won't have it."

"Please don't joke, Doctor. I am troubled about these dear people. I
talked to Mr. Rivers about it, and he is troubled and says it is the
mills and money. I know that, but at the bottom of it all is the war. Now
Aunt Ann is reading the papers again--I think it is very strange; it's
confusing, Doctor."

"Here," reflected the doctor, "is at least one person with some sense."

She went on, speaking slowly, "Uncle Jim comes home tired. Aunt Ann eats
her dinner and reads, and is in bed by nine. The house is as melancholy
as--I feel as if I were in a mousetrap--"

"Why mouse-trap, my dear?"

"It sounds all right. The mouse is waiting for something awful to
happen--and so am I. Uncle Jim talked of asking people to stay with us.
It's just to please Aunt Ann. She said, 'No, James, I don't want any
one.' He wished to please her. She really thinks of nothing but the war
and Uncle Jim, and when Uncle Jim is away she will spend an hour alone
over his maps. She has--what do you call it--?"

"Is obsession the word you want?"

"Yes--that's it."

"Now, Leila, neither you nor I nor Mark Rivers can help those two people
we love. Don't cry, Leila; or cry if it will help you. When you marry, be
sure to ask, 'what are your politics, Jeremiah?'" His diversion answered
his purpose.

"I never would marry a man named Jeremiah."

"I recommend a well-trained widower."

"I prefer to attend to my husband's education myself. I should like a man
who is single-minded when I marry