to-day, so it doesn't matter
about my not being at home."

Mrs. Herrick accepted the offer promptly, and at five minutes past
twelve the big car pulled up in front of Mr. Dowson's modest house, much
to the excitement of the school children, who were at that moment
released from the school-buildings at the end of the street.

A quiet little maid showed the visitors into the usual depressing
waiting-room; and reappeared two minutes later to conduct them into the
torture chamber itself; and since Eva flatly refused to go alone, Toni
perforce accompanied her into the operator's presence.

Mr. Dowson's pale face lighted up at the sight of Toni with a radiance
which even the self-engrossed Eva could not fail to note. He recollected
himself sufficiently to shake hands professionally with his patient, but
Toni he greeted warmly, as an old friend.

He had never dreamed of such a glorious happening as this visit. The
dingy room was transfigured by Toni's presence therein; and his long,
white, carefully-manicured hands were absolutely unsteady as he opened
his little cabinet and selected one or two tiny but deadly-looking
instruments from the shining rows within.

Toni, for her part, was occupied in thanking the Providence which had
seen fit to equip her with a set of perfectly sound white teeth; and she
felt an intense sympathy with the hapless Eva, whose nerves, undermined
by her late experience, were already betraying her into signs of
agitation.

"I won't hurt you, really," said Mr. Dowson, with a beaming smile, which
he felt to be out of place, but could not restrain. "Please lean back a
little more--so. Now open--just a _leetle_ wider--thank you, that will
do."

It was soon evident that the visit could not be prolonged. Although he
had not the clue to his patient's intense nervousness, Mr. Dowson's
professional instincts warned him that he must go warily: and while he
would willingly have detained Mrs. Herrick, if by such means he could
enjoy the felicity of Toni's companionship a little longer, his
conscientious spirit forced him to cut the sitting short.

Another appointment was made for the following week; and after that
there were others, to all of which Toni accompanied her quaking friend.
After four or five visits, however, Toni was unlucky enough to contract
a chill during an unusually prolonged motor-ride; and Mrs. Herrick was
forced to go alone.

It was Leonard Dowson's intense consternation when told of