soft hair, crinkling in the mist and blowing all about her smooth
forehead. The mist had thickened to rain before she reached the
Rectory, and her cloak was soaked, which made Dr. Lavendar reproach
her for her imprudence.

"And where are your gums?" he demanded. When she confessed that she
had forgotten them, he scolded her roundly.

"I'll see that the little boy wears them when he comes to visit me,"
she said, a comforted look coming into her face.

"David? David will look after himself like a man, and keep you in
order, too. As for visiting you, my dear, you'd better visit him a
little first. I tell you--stay and have supper with us to-night?"

But she protested that she had only come for a few minutes to ask
about David. "I must go right home," she said nervously.

"No, no. You can't get away,--oh!" he broke off excitedly--"here he
is!" Dr. Lavendar's eagerness at the sight of the little boy who came
running up the garden path, his hurry to open the front door and bring
him into the study to present him to Mrs. Richie, fussing and proud
and a little tremulous, would have touched her, if she had noticed
him. But she did not notice him,--the child absorbed her. She could
not leave him. Before she knew it she found herself taking off her
bonnet and saying she would stay to tea.

"David," said Dr. Lavendar, "I've got a bone in my leg; so you run and
get me a clean pocket-handkerchief."