hilly, you're 'most dead," said Agatha, as Phillida walked wearily
into the dining-room by way of the basement door. "You're pale and sick.
Here, sit down and take a cup of coffee."

Phillida sat down without removing her bonnet or sack, but Agatha took
them off while her mother poured her coffee.

"Where have you been and what made you go off so early?" went on Agatha.
"Or did you run away in the night?"

"Let Phillida take her coffee and get rested," said the mother.

"All right, she shall," said Agatha, patting her on the back in a
baby-cuddling way. "Only tell me how that little boy is; I do want to
know, and you can just say 'better,' 'worse,' 'well,' or 'dead,' without
waiting for the effect of the coffee, don't you see?"

"The child has diphtheria. I don't know whether I ought to come home and
expose the rest of you."

"Nonsense," said Agatha. "Do you think we're going to send you off to
the Island? You take care of the rest of the world, Philly, but mama and
I take care of you. When you get up into a private box in heaven as a
great saint, we'll hang on to your robe and get good seats."

"Sh-sh," said Phillida, halting between a revulsion at Agatha's
irreverent speech and a feeling more painful. "I'll never be a great
saint, Aggy. Only a poor, foolish girl, mistaking her fancies for her
duty."

"Oh, that's the way with all the great saints. They just missed being
shut up for lunatics. But do you think you'll be able to save that
little boy? Don't you think you ought to get them to call a doctor?"

"I? Oh, I gave up the case. I'm done with faith-healing once for all,
Agatha." This was said with a little gulp, indicating that the
confession cost her both effort and pain.

"You--"

"Don't ask me any questions till I'm better able to answer. I'm awfully
tired out and cross."

"What have you been doing this morning?" said Agatha, notwithstanding
Phillida's injunction against questions.

"Getting Miss Bowyer out of the Martin house. Mr. Martin was determined
to have her, and he went for her when his wife sent him for a doctor."

"Miss Bowyer! I don't see how you ever got her out," said Agatha. "Did
you get a policeman to put her into the station-house on the mortal
plane?"

"No; I did worse. I actually had to go to the Graydon and wake up
Charley Millard--"

"You did?"

"Yes; I couldn't get a messenger, and so I went myself. And I put the
case into Charley's hands, and he sent his man Friday scam