"Did she?"

"She always understands things. We talked it all over, and she agreed
that it was best for me to come home."

"But how did you happen to choose medicine?"

"What else was there? Besides, I ought to inherit it, and papa ought to
have some child follow him. Hubert didn't, and I must."

"What about Allyn?"

"He is too young yet to tell whether he will amount to anything or not. I
don't believe he is the right kind, either. I am."

"How do you mean?" In spite of herself, Theodora laughed at the assurance
in Phebe's tone.

"Oh, I have studied myself a good deal," she said with calm complacency.
"I am not nervous, nor very sympathetic, and I think I could operate on
people very nicely."

"Phebe!" This time, there was no concealment in Theodora's laugh.

"You needn't make fun of me," she said indignantly. "That helps along;
papa says it does. I had a long talk with him, last night, after you and
Billy went home."

"What did he say?"

"A good many things that there is no use in repeating," Phebe
responded loftily.

"Wasn't he surprised?"

"Yes, as much as he ever is, at anything I do." For the moment, Phebe's
sense of humor asserted itself. Then she grew grave again. "It is settled
that I am to work with him till summer. Then, next fall, if I really want
to go on with it, I am to go to Philadelphia to study there. Hope will be
shocked, and Hu will make all manner of fun of me, I know. I do hope you
and Billy will stand by me, Ted, and believe it is not a schoolgirl whim,
but a real wish to find some work and do it."

Theodora rose and stood beside her sister.

"I do believe it, dear," she said. "I know how I feel about my own work
and how I want to succeed in it, for all your sakes. Only, Phebe, the
time may come when you will be ready to put your profession, not in the
first place, but in the second."

But Phebe shook her head.

"No; I am not that kind, Ted. I'm queer, they all say, and I think my
work will always come first. Mrs. Farrington tried to make a society
woman of me; but it was no use."

"William Farrington!" Theodora said, that night.

"Yes, madame."

"Once upon a time, there was a girl who came down out of a tree, and
took a boy to bring up. That's us, Billy, and I always have supposed
that my hands were full with training you. Now I have discovered that
they are not."

"Is it a new story?" her husband asked, dropping his book and looking at
her expectantly.

"Alas, no!