Why, Phillida, dear, Agatha didn't say any such thing," interposed Mrs.
Callender.

"If you think," said Agatha, angrily, "that I could even imagine such a
thing as that, it's just too awfully mean, that's all. But you've
worried yourself sick and you're unreasonable. There, now, please don't
cry, Philly," she added, going around and stroking her sister's hair.
"You're too good for any man that ever lived, and that's a great
misfortune. If they could have split the difference between your
goodness and my badness, they might have made two fair average women.
There, now, if you don't eat something I'll blame myself all day. I'm
going to toast you a piece of bread."

In spite of remonstrance, the repentant Agatha toasted a piece of bread
and boiled the only egg that Sarah had in the house, to tempt her
sister's appetite.

"Your motto is, 'Hard words and kind acts,'" said Mrs. Callender, as
Agatha came in with the toast and the egg.

"My motto is, 'Hard words and soft boiled eggs,'" said Agatha, who had
by this penance secured her own forgiveness and recovered her gayety.

In vain was Phillida entreated to rest. She felt herself drawn to Mrs.
Martin, who would, as she concluded, have got rid of Miss Bowyer, and
seen the doctor and Charley, and be left alone, by this time. So,
promising to be back by one o'clock, if possible, she went out again,
indulging her fatigue so far as to take a car in Fourteenth street.
Arrived at Mrs. Martin's, she was embarrassed at finding Millard sitting
with his aunt. She gave him a look of recognition as she entered, and
said to Mrs. Martin, who was holding Tommy:

"I thought I should find you alone by this time."

This indirect statement that she had not considered it desirable to
encounter Millard again cut him, and he said, as though the words had
been addressed to him, "I am expecting Dr. Gunstone every moment."

"Dr. Gunstone? I am glad he is coming," said Phillida, firing the remark
in the air indiscriminately at the aunt or nephew, as either might
please to accept it.

At that moment Millard's valet, Robert, in the capacity of pioneer and
pilot, knocked at the door. When Millard opened it he said, "Dr.
Gunstone, sir," and stood aside to let the physician pass.

Gunstone made a little hurried bow to Millard, and, without waiting for
an introduction, bowed with his usual deference to Mrs. Martin.
"Good-morning, madam; is this the little sufferer?" at the same time
making a hur