, he would
send them a bag of peanuts.

I feel as fresh and revivified after my little fling as though I'd had a
real vacation. There's no doubt about it, an hour or so of exciting talk
is more of a tonic to me than a pint of iron and strychnine pills.

You owe me two letters, dear Madam. Pay them TOUT DE SUITE, or I lay
down my pen forever.

Yours, as usual,

S. McB.

Tuesday, 5 P.M. My dear Enemy:

I am told that during my absence this afternoon you paid us a call and
dug up a scandal. You claim that the children under Miss Snaith are not
receiving their due in the matter of cod-liver oil.

I am sorry if your medicinal orders have not been carried out, but you
must know that it is a difficult matter to introduce that abominably
smelling stuff into the inside of a squirming child. And poor Miss
Snaith is a very much overworked person. She has ten more children to
care for than should rightly fall into the lot of any single woman, and
until we find her another assistant, she has very little time for the
fancy touches you demand.

Also, my dear Enemy, she is very susceptible to abuse. When you feel in
a fighting mood, I wish you would expend your belligerence upon me. I
don't mind it; quite the contrary. But that poor lady has retired to her
room in a state of hysterics, leaving nine babies to be tucked into bed
by whomever it may concern.

If you have any powders that would be settling to her nerves, please
send them back by Sadie Kate.

Yours truly,

S. McBRIDE.

Wednesday Morning.

Dear Dr. MacRae:

I am not taking an unintelligent stand in the least; I am simply asking
that you come to me with all complaints, and not stir up my staff in any
such volcanic fashion as that of yesterday.

I endeavor to carry out all of your orders--of a medical nature--with
scrupulous care. In the present case there seems to have been
some negligence; I don't know what did become of those fourteen
unadministered bottles of cod-liver oil that you have made such a fuss
about, but I shall investigate.

And I cannot, for various reasons, pack off Miss Snaith in the summary
fashion you demand. She may be, in certain respects, inefficient;
but she is kind to the children, and with supervision will answer
temporarily.

Yours truly,

S. McBRIDE.

Thursday.

Dear Enemy:

SOYEZ TRANQUILLE. I have issued orders, and in the future the children
shall receive all of the cod-liver oil that by rights is theirs. A
w