"Who was the young man with her? Her beau, I guess."

"Was there a young man with her?" asked Dr. Mulbridge.

His mother went out without speaking. She could be unsatisfactory, too.




VI.

No one but Mrs. Breen knew of her daughter's errand, and when Grace came
back she alighted from Mr. Libby's buggy with an expression of thanks
that gave no clew as to the direction or purpose of it. He touched his
hat to her with equal succinctness, and drove away, including all the
ladies on the piazza in a cursory obeisance.

"We must ask you, Miss Gleason," said Mrs. Alger. "Your admiration of Dr.
Breen clothes you with authority and responsibility."

"I can't understand it at all," Miss Gleason confessed. "But I'm sure
there's nothing in it. He isn't her equal. She would feel that it wasn't
right--under the circumstances."

"But if Mrs. Maynard was well it would be a fair game, you mean," said
Mrs. Alger.

"No," returned Miss Gleason, with the greatest air of candor, "I can't
admit that I meant that."