down-stairs, full of eager excuses, the touch of his rage seared her
like a flame.

"If you will kindly take five minutes from that squalling brat--"

"Lloyd, he was in pain. I had to go to him. The instant the doctor
came, I left him. I--"

"Listen to me, please. I have only a minute. Helena, this friend of
yours, this Dr. King, saw fit to pry into my affairs. He came to
Philadelphia to look me up--" "_What!_"

"He came to my house"--he looked at her keenly through his curling
eyelashes--"to my house! Do you understand what that means?"

In her dismay she sat down with a sort of gasp; and looking up at him,
stammered, "But why? Why?"

"Why? Because he is a prying suspicious jackass of a country doctor!
He came at exactly six o'clock. it was perfectly evident that he meant
to give me the pleasure of his company at dinner."

At that she sprang to her feet, her impetuous hands upon his arm.
"Then he was not--suspicious! Don't you see? He was only friendly!"
She trembled with the reaction of that instant of dismay. "He was not
suspicious, or he wouldn't have been--been willing--" Her voice
trailed into shamed silence.

Lloyd Pryor pushed her hand away, impatiently. "I'm not anxious for
his friendship or even his acquaintance. You will please consider what