w you."

Jewel exchanged a happy glance with her mother and clapped her hands at the
joyful prospect.

Mrs. Evringham looked wistfully at her father-in-law. "I hope you'll be
willing I should do the work I want to, father."

"What's that? Writing books? Perfectly willing, I assure you. I think
you've made a very good start."

Mrs. Evringham smiled. "No, not writing books. Practicing Christian
Science."

"Well, you do that all the time, don't you?"

"I mean taking patients."

"What!" Mr. Evringham straightened up in his chair and frowned at her
incredulously. "Anybody? Tom, Dick, and Harry? You can't mean it!"

His tone was so severe that Jewel rose from her place on the rug and,
climbing into his lap, rested her head on his breast. His hand closed on
the soft little one unconsciously. "I suppose I don't understand you," he
added, a shade more mildly.

"Not in your house, father," returned Julia. She had been preparing in
thought for this moment for days. "Of course it wouldn't do to have
strangers coming and going there."

"Nonsense, nonsense, my dear girl," brusquely, "put it out of your head at
once. There is no need for you to do anything after this but bring up your
child and keep your husband's shirt buttons in place."

"I won't neglect either," replied Julia quietly; "but Mr. Reeves says there
is great need of practitioners in Bel-Air. You know where the reading-room
is? There is a little room leading out of it that I could have."

"For an office, do you mean? Nonsense," exclaimed Mr. Evringham again.
"Harry wouldn't think of allowing it."

Julia smiled. "Will you if he does?"

"What shall I say to her, Jewel?" The broker looked down into the serious
face.

"I suppose mother ought to do it," replied the child. "Of course every one
who knows how and has time wants to. You can see that, grandpa, because
isn't your rheumatism better?"

"Yes. I like our resident physician very much; but we need her ourselves. I
don't think I shall ever give my consent to such a thing."

"Oh, yes, you will, grandpa, if it's right." The flaxen head on his breast
wagged wisely. "Some morning you'll come downstairs and say: 'Julia, I
think you can go and get that office whenever you like.'"

Mrs. Evringham pressed her handkerchief to her lips. The couple in the
armchair were so absorbed in one another that they did not observe her, and
the broker's face showed such surprise.

"Upon my word!" he exclaimed, after a m