ps
she had been even prettier than Nettie in her bright days, if any days
had ever been bright for Fred Rider's wife. She was fairer, larger,
smoother than her sister; but these advantages had lapsed in a general
fade, which transformed her colour into washy pinkness, made her figure
stoop, and her footsteps drag. She came remonstrating all the way in
feeble accents. It was not for her, certainly, that the doctor had taken
the trouble to come to the Blue Boar.

"Please to sit down," said Mrs Fred, and stood leaning on the table,
looking at her brother-in-law with a calm curiosity, not unlike that
of her children. "Nettie and my husband have gone out together; but now
that we are all so happy and united," she continued, with a sort of
feeble spitefulness, "I am sure it is quite a pity to trouble you. You
could not take us in, you know. You said that very plain, Mr Edward."

"It was perfectly true, madam," said the doctor. "I have not ventured on
the step my brother has taken, and have naturally no accommodation for a
family. But I am not here for my own pleasure. Your sister, I presume it
is, wrote to me. I was requested to call here to-day."

"Oh, yes; Nettie is very self-willed--very; though, of course, we could
not get on without her. She attacked Fred like a wild-cat for not writing
you: but I daresay, if the truth were known, you did not expect to hear
from my husband," said the wife, recovering her voice, and fixing a
vindictive gaze upon her visitor, who felt himself betrayed.

"I came by Miss Underwood's instructions and at her request," said the
unfortunate man. "We need not enter into any question between Fred and
myself."

"Ah, yes, that is very safe and wise for you," laughed Fred's wife.

The doctor was deeply exasperated, as was only natural: he eyed the
feeble helpless creature for a moment angrily, provoked to answer her;
but his gaze became one of wonder and dismay ere he withdrew it. Surely
of all incomprehensible entities, the most amazing is a fool--a creature
insensate, unreasoning, whom neither argument nor fact can make any
impression upon. Appalled and impressed, the doctor's gaze left that
pretty faded face to turn upon the children. Dreadful imps! If Fred had
only taken to evil ways after he became possessed of such a family, his
brother could have forgiven him. While these thoughts passed through Dr
Rider's mind, however, deliverance approached. He heard Nettie's voice
in the passage, lon