what he was thinking. He began to reply:

"You are very kind, Miss Gunn"--Hetty interrupted him:

"No, I am not at all kind, Dr. Williams; and I see you are laughing at
me, because I've had to speak to you, after all, as if I liked you. But,
of course, you understand that it is all for Sally's sake. If I were to
be ill myself, I should have Dr. Tuthill," said Hetty, in a tone meant
to be very resolute and dignified, but only succeeding in being comical.

The doctor bowed ceremoniously, replying: "I will be as frank as you
are, Miss Gunn. As you say, 'of course' I understand that any apparent
welcome which you extend to me is entirely for Mrs. Little's sake; and
that it is sorely against your will that you have been obliged to speak
to me; and that it is solely in my capacity as physician that I am asked
to sleep under your roof to-night; and I beg your pardon for saying that
I accept the invitation in that capacity, and no other, solely because
I believe it will be for the interest of my patient that I do so. Good
morning, Miss Gunn," and, as at that moment they reached the house, Dr.
Eben bowed again as ceremoniously as before, sprang up the piazza steps,
and ran up the staircase, two steps at a time, to Sally's room. Hetty
stood still in the doorway: she felt herself discomfited. She was half
angry, half amused. She did not like what the doctor had said; but she
admitted to herself that it was precisely what she would have said in
his place.

"I don't blame him," she thought, "I don't blame him a bit; but, it is
horridly disagreeable. I don't see how we're ever to get on; and it is
so provoking, for, if he were anybody else, we'd be real good friends.
He isn't in the least what I thought he was. I hope he won't come over