't the poor pater exempt?" Tom laughed, coming back.

"I want it for the book Josie and I are making for you to take away
with you, 'Winton Snap-shots.' We'll call it 'The Country Doctor.'"

Tom looked at the gig, moving slowly off down the road now. He hated
to say so, but he wished Hilary would not put that particular snap-shot
in. He had a foreboding that it was going to make him a bit
uncomfortable--later--when the time for decision came; though, as for
that, he had already decided--beyond thought of change. He wished that
the pater hadn't set his heart on his coming back here to practice--and
he wished, too, that Hilary hadn't taken that photo.

"Paul's late," he said presently.

"I'm afraid she isn't coming."

"It's past twelve," Tom glanced at the sun. "Maybe we'd better walk on
a bit."

But they had walked a considerable bit, all the way to the parsonage,
in fact, before they saw anything of Pauline. There, she met them at
the gate. "Have you seen any trace of Patience--and Bedelia?" she
asked eagerly.

"Patience and Bedelia?" Hilary repeated wonderingly.

"They're both missing, and it's pretty safe guessing they're together."

"But Patience would never dare--"

"Wouldn't she!" Pauline exclaimed. "Jim brought Bedelia 'round about
eleven and when I came out a few moments later, she was gone and so was
Patience. Jim's out looking for them. We traced them as far as the
Lake road."

"I'll go hunt, too," Tom offered. "Don't you worry, Paul; she'll turn
up all right--couldn't down the Imp, if you tried."

"But she's never driven Bedelia alone; and Bedelia's not Fanny."

However, half an hour later, Patience drove calmly into the yard,
Towser on the seat beside her, and if there was something very like
anxiety in her glance, there was distinct triumph in the way she
carried her small, bare head.

"We've had a beautiful drive!" she announced, smiling pleasantly from
her high seat, at the worried, indignant group on the porch. "I tell
you, there isn't any need to 'hi-yi' this horse!"

"My sakes!" Miranda declared. "Did you ever hear the beat of that!"

"Get down, Patience!" Mrs. Shaw said, and Patience climbed obediently
down. She bore the prompt banishment to her own room which followed,
with seeming indifference. Certainly, it was not unexpected; but when
Hilary brought her dinner up to her presently, she found her sitting on
the floor, her head on the bed. It was only a few days now