WHERE THERE'S A WILL

By Mary Roberts Rinehart

 CONTENTS

 I I HAVE A WARNING II MISS PATTY ARRIVES III A WILL IV AND A WAY V WANTED--AN OWNER VI THE CONSPIRACY VII MR. PIERCE ACQUIRES A WIFE VII AND MR. MOODY INDIGESTION IX DOLLY, HOW COULD YOU X ANOTHER COMPLICATION XI MISS PATTY'S PRINCE XII WE GET A DOCTOR XIII THE PRINCE--PRINCIPALLY XIV PIERCE DISAPPROVES XV THE PRINCE, WITH APOLOGIES XVI STOP, THIEF! XVII A BUNCH OF LETTERS XVIII MISS COBB'S BURGLAR XIX NO MARRIAGE IN HEAVEN XX EVERY DOG HAS HIS DAY XXI THE MUTINY XXII HOME TO ROOST XXIII BACK TO NATURE XIV LIKE DUCKS TO WATER XXV THE FIRST FRUITS XXVI OVER THE FENCE IS OUT XXVII A CUPBOARD FULL OF RYE XXVIII LOVE, LOVE, LOVE XXIX A BIG NIGHT TO-NIGHT XXX LET GOOD DIGESTION

WHERE THERE'S A WILL

CHAPTER I

I HAVE A WARNING

When it was all over Mr. Sam came out to the spring-house to say good-byto me before he and Mrs. Sam left. I hated to see him go, after all wehad been through together, and I suppose he saw it in my face, for hecame over close and stood looking down at me, and smiling. "You savedus, Minnie, " he said, "and I needn't tell you we're grateful; but doyou know what I think?" he asked, pointing his long forefinger at me. "I think you've enjoyed it even when you were suffering most. Red-hairedwomen are born to intrigue, as the sparks fly upward. "

"Enjoyed it!" I snapped. "I'm an old woman before my time, Mr. Sam. Whatwith trailing back and forward through the snow to the shelter-house, and not getting to bed at all some nights, and my heart going by fitsand starts, as you may say, and half the time my spinal marrow fairlychilled--not to mention putting on my overshoes every morning from forceof habit and having to take them off again, I'm about all in. "

"It's been the making of you, Minnie, " he said, eying me, with his handsin his pockets. "Look at your cheeks! Look at your disposition! I don'tbelieve you'd stab anybody in the back now!"

(Which was a joke, of course; I never stabbed anybody in the back. )

He sauntered over and dropped a quarter into the slot-machine by thedoor, but the thing was frozen up and refused to work. I've seen thetime when Mr. Sam would have kicked it, but he merely looked at it andthen at me. 

"Turned virtuous, like everything else around the place. Not that Idon't approve of virtue, Minnie, but I haven't got used to putting myfoot on the brass rail of the bar and ordering a nut sundae. Hookthe money out with a hairpin, Minnie, and buy some shredded wheat inremembrance of me. "

He opened the door and a blast of February wind rattled thewindow-frames. Mr. Sam threw out his chest under his sweater and wavedme another good-by. 

"Well, I'm off, Minnie, " he said. "Take care of yourself and don't sittoo tight on the job; learn to rise a bit in the saddle. "

"Good-by, Mr. Sam!" I called, putting down Miss Patty's doily andfollowing him to the door; "good-by; better have something before youstart to keep you warm. "

He turned at the corner of the path and grinned back at me. 

"All right, " he called. "I'll go down to the bar and get a lettucesandwich!"

Then he was gone, and happy as I was, I knew I would miss him terribly. I got a wire hairpin and went over to the slot-machine, but when I hadfinally dug out the money I could hardly see it for tears. 

It began when the old doctor died. I suppose you have heard of HopeSanatorium and the mineral spring that made it famous. Perhaps youhave seen the blotter we got out, with a flash-light interior of thespring-house on it, and me handing the old doctor a glass of mineralwater, and wearing the embroidered linen waist that Miss Patty Jenningsgave me that winter. The blotters were a great success. Below thepicture it said, "Yours for health, " and in the body of the blotter, in red lettering, "Your system absorbs the health-giving drugs in HopeSprings water as this blotter soaks up ink. "

The "Yours for health" was my idea. 

I have been spring-house girl at Hope Springs Sanatorium for fourteenyears. My father had the position before me, but he took rheumatism, andas the old doctor said, it was bad business policy to spend thousandsof dollars in advertising that Hope Springs water cured rheumatism, andthen have father creaking like a rusty hinge every time he bent over tofill a glass with it. 

Father gave me one piece of advice the day he turned the spring-houseover to me. 

"It's a difficult situation, my girl, " he said. "Lots of people thinkit's simply a matter of filling a glass with water and handing it overthe railing. Why, I tell you a barkeeper's a high-priced man mostly, andhis job's a snap to this. I'd like to know how a barkeeper would makeout if his customers came back only once a year and he had to rememberwhether they wanted their drinks cold or hot or 'chill off'. And anotherthing: if a chap comes in with a tale of woe, does the barkeeper haveto ask him what he's doing for it, and listen while he tells how muchweight he lost in a blanket sweat? No, sir; he pushes him a bottle andlets it go at that. "

Father passed away the following winter. He'd been a little bitdelirious, and his last words were: "Yes, sir; hot, with a pinch ofsalt, sir?" Poor father! The spring had been his career, you maysay, and I like to think that perhaps even now he is sitting by someeverlasting spring measuring out water with a golden goblet instead ofthe old tin dipper. I said that to Mr. Sam once, and he said he feltquite sure that I was right, and that where father was the water wouldbe appreciated. He had heard of father. 

Well, for the first year or so I nearly went crazy. Then I found thingswere coming my way. I've got the kind of mind that never forgets a nameor face and can combine them properly, which isn't common. And whenfolks came back I could call them at once. It would do your heart goodto see some politician, coming up to rest his stomach from the freebar in the state house at the capital, enter the spring-house whereeverybody is playing cards and drinking water and not caring a rapwhether he's the man that cleans the windows or the secretary of thenavy. If he's been there before, in sixty seconds I have his name on mytongue and a glass of water in his hand, and have asked him aboutthe rheumatism in his right knee and how the children are. And in tenminutes he's sitting in a bridge game and trotting to the spring to havehis glass refilled during his dummy hand, as if he'd grown up inthe place. The old doctor used to say my memory was an asset to thesanatorium. 

He depended on me a good bit--the old doctor did--and that winter he waspretty feeble. (He was only seventy, but he'd got in the habit of makingit eighty to show that the mineral water kept him young. Finally he gotto BEING eighty, from thinking it, and he died of senility in the end. )

He was in the habit of coming to the spring-house every day to get hismorning glass of water and read the papers. For a good many years it hadbeen his custom to sit there, in the winter by the wood fire and in thesummer just inside the open door, and to read off the headings aloudwhile I cleaned around the spring and polished glasses. 

"I see the president is going fishing, Minnie, " he'd say, or "Airbrakeis up to 133; I wish I'd bought it that time I dreamed about it. It wasyou who persuaded me not to, Minnie. "

And all that winter, with the papers full of rumors that MissPatty Jennings was going to marry a prince, we'd followed it by thespring-house fire, the old doctor and I, getting angry at the Austrianemperor for opposing it when we knew how much too good Miss Patty wasfor any foreigner, and then getting nervous and fussed when we read thatthe prince's mother was in favor of the match and it might go through. Miss Patty and her father came every winter to Hope Springs and Icouldn't have been more anxious about it if she had been my own sister. 

Well, as I say, it all began the very day the old doctor died. Hestamped out to the spring-house with the morning paper about nineo'clock, and the wedding seemed to be all off. The paper said theemperor had definitely refused his consent and had sent the prince, whowas his cousin, for a Japanese cruise, while the Jennings family wasgoing to Mexico in their private car. The old doctor was indignant, andI remember how he tramped up and down the spring-house, muttering thatthe girl had had a lucky escape, and what did the emperor expect ifbeauty and youth and wealth weren't enough. But he calmed down, and soonhe was reading that the papers were predicting an early spring, and hesaid we'd better begin to increase our sulphur percentage in the water. 

I hadn't noticed anything strange in his manner, although we'd allnoticed how feeble he was growing, but when he got up to go back tothe sanatorium and I reached him his cane, it seemed to me he avoidedlooking at me. He went to the door and then turned and spoke to me overhis shoulder. 

"By the way, " he remarked, "Mr. Richard will be along in a day or so, Minnie. You'd better break it to Mrs. Wiggins. "

Since the summer before we'd had to break Mr. Dick's coming to Mrs. Wiggins the housekeeper, owing to his finding her false front where ithad blown out of a window, having been hung up to dry, and his wearingit to luncheon as whiskers. Mr. Dick was the old doctor's grandson. 

"Humph!" I said, and he turned around and looked square at me. 

"He's a good boy at heart, Minnie, " he said. "We've had our troubleswith him, you and I, but everything has been quiet lately. "

When I didn't say anything he looked discouraged, but he had a fine wayof keeping on until he gained his point, had the old doctor. 

"It HAS been quiet, hasn't it?" he demanded. 

"I don't know, " I said; "I have been deaf since the last explosion!" AndI went down the steps to the spring. I heard the tap of his cane as hecame across the floor, and I knew he was angry. 

"Confound you, Minnie, " he exclaimed, "if I could get along without youI'd discharge you this minute. "

"And if I paid any attention to your discharging me I'd have been gonea dozen times in the last year, " I retorted. "I'm not objecting to Mr. Dick coming here, am I? Only don't expect me to burst into song aboutit. Shut the door behind you when you go out. "

But he didn't go at once. He stood watching me polish glasses and getthe card-tables ready, and I knew he still had something on his mind. 

"Minnie, " he said at last, "you're a shrewd young woman--maybe more headthan heart, but that's well enough. And with your temper under control, you're a CAPABLE young woman. "

"What has Mr. Dick been up to now?" I asked, growing suspicious. 

"Nothing. But I'm an old man, Minnie, a very old man. "

"Stuff and nonsense, " I exclaimed, alarmed. "You're only seventy. That'swhat comes of saying in the advertising that you are eighty--to showwhat the springs have done for you. It's enough to make a man die ofsenility to have ten years tacked to his age. "

"And if, " he went on, "if anything happens to me, Minnie, I'm countingon you to do what you can for the old place. You've been here a goodmany years, Minnie. "

"Fourteen years I have been ladling out water at this spring, " I said, trying to keep my lips from trembling. "I wouldn't be at home any placeelse, unless it would be in an aquarium. But don't ask me to stay hereand help Mr. Dick sell the old place for a summer hotel. For that's whathe'll do. "

"He won't sell it, " declared the old doctor grimly. "All I want is foryou to promise to stay. "

"Oh, I'll stay, " I said. "I won't promise to be agreeable, but I'llstay. Somebody'll have to look after the spring; I reckon Mr. Dickthinks it comes out of the earth just as we sell it, with the wholepharmacopoeia in it. "

Well, it made the old doctor happier, and I'm not sorry I promised, butI've got a joint on my right foot that throbs when it is going to rainor I am going to have bad luck, and it gave a jump then. I might haveknown there was trouble ahead. 

CHAPTER II

MISS PATTY ARRIVES

It was pretty quiet in the spring-house that day after the old doctorleft. It had started to snow and only the regulars came out. What withthe old doctor talking about dying, and Miss Patty Jennings gone toMexico, when I'd been looking forward to her and her cantankerous oldfather coming to Hope Springs for February, as they mostly did, I wasdepressed all day. I got to the point where Mr. Moody feeding nickelsinto the slot-machine with one hand and eating zwieback with the othermade me nervous. After a while he went to sleep over it, and when hehad slipped a nickel in his mouth and tried to put the zwieback in themachine he muttered something and went up to the house. 

I was glad to be alone. I drew a chair in front of the fire and wonderedwhat I would do if the old doctor died, and what a fool I'd been not tobe a school-teacher, which is what I studied for. 

I was thinking to myself bitterly that all that my experience in thespring fitted me for was to be a mermaid, when I heard something runningdown the path, and it turned out to be Tillie, the diet cook. 

She slammed the door behind her and threw the Finleyville evening paperat me. 

"There!" she said, "I've won a cake of toilet soap from Bath-house Mike. The emperor's consented. "

"Nonsense!" I snapped, and snatched the paper. Tillie was right; theemperor HAD! I sat down and read it through, and there was Miss Patty'spicture in an oval and the prince's in another, with a turned-upmustache and his hand on the handle of his sword, and between them bothwas the Austrian emperor. Tillie came and looked over my shoulder. 

"I'm not keen on the mustache, " she said, "but the sword'sbeautiful--and, oh, Minnie, isn't he aristocratic? Look at his nose!"

But I'm not one to make up my mind in a hurry, and I'd heard enough talkabout foreign marriages in the years I'd been dipping out mineral waterto make me a skeptic, so to speak. 

"I'm not so sure, " I said slowly. "You can't tell anything by that kindof a picture. If he was even standing beside a chair I could get a lineon him. He may be only four feet high. "

"Then Miss Jennings wouldn't love him, " declared Tillie. "How do youreckon he makes his mustache point up like that?"

"What's love got to do with it?" I demanded. "Don't be a fool, Tillie. It takes more than two people's pictures in a newspaper with a red heartaround them and an overweight cupid above to make a love-match. Love's aword that's used to cover a good many sins and to excuse them all. "

"She isn't that kind, " said Tillie. "She's--she's as sweet as she'sbeautiful, and you're as excited as I am, Minnie Waters, and if you'renot, what have you got the drinking glass she used last winter put onthe top shelf out of reach for?" She went to the door and slammed itopen. "Thank heaven I'm not a dried-up old maid, " she called back overher shoulder, "and when you're through hugging that paper you can sendit up to the house. "

Well, I sat there and thought it over, Miss Patty, or Miss Patricia, being, so to speak, a friend of mine. They'd come to the Springs everywinter for years. Many a time she'd slipped away from her governess andcome down to the spring-house for a chat with me, and we'd make pop-corntogether by my open fire, and talk about love and clothes, and even thetariff, Miss Patty being for protection, which was natural, seeing thatwas the way her father made his money, and I for free trade, especiallyin the winter when my tips fall off considerable. 

And when she was younger she would sit back from the fire, with thecorn-popper on her lap and her cheeks as red as cranberries, and say: "IDON'T know why I tell you all these things, Minnie, but Aunt Honoria'sfunny, and I can't talk to Dorothy; she's too young, you know. Well, HEsaid--" only every winter it was a different "he. "

In my wash-stand drawer I'd kept all the clippings about her coming outand the winter she spent in Washington and was supposed to be engaged tothe president's son, and the magazine article that told how Mr. Jenningshad got his money by robbing widows and orphans, and showed the littleframe house where Miss Patty was born--as if she's had anything to dowith it. And so now I was cutting out the picture of her and the princeand the article underneath which told how many castles she'd have, and Idon't mind saying I was sniffling a little bit, for I couldn't get usedto the idea. And suddenly the door closed softly and there was a rustlebehind me. When I turned it was Miss Patty herself. She saw the clippingimmediately, and stopped just inside the door. 

"YOU, TOO, " she said. "And we've come all this distance to get away fromjust that. "

"Well, I shan't talk about it, " I replied, not holding out my hand, forwith her, so to speak, next door to being a princess--but she leanedright over and kissed me. I could hardly believe it. 

"Why won't you talk about it?" she insisted, catching me by theshoulders and holding me off. "Minnie, your eyes are as red as yourhair!"

"I don't approve of it, " I said. "You might as well know it now aslater, Miss Patty. I don't believe in mixed marriages. I had a cousinthat married a Jew, and what with him making the children promise to begood on the Talmud and her trying to raise them with the Bible, the poorthings is that mixed up that it's pitiful. "

She got a little red at that, but she sat down and took up the clipping. 

"He's much better looking than that, Minnie, " she said soberly, "andhe's a good Catholic. But if that's the way you feel we'll not talkabout it. I've had enough trouble at home as it is. "

"I guess from that your father isn't crazy about it, " I remarked, getting her a glass of spring water. The papers had been full of how Mr. Jennings had forbidden the prince the house when he had been in Americathe summer before. 

"Certainly he's crazy about it--almost insane!" she said, and smiled atme in her old way over the top of the glass. Then she put down the glassand came over to me. "Minnie, Minnie, " she said, "if you only knew howI've wanted to get away from the newspapers and the gossips and come tothis smelly little spring-house and talk things over with a red-haired, sharp-tongued, mean-dispositioned spring-house girl--!"

And with that I began to blubber, and she came into my arms like a baby. 

"You're all I've got, " I declared, over and over, "and you're going tolive in a country where they harness women with dogs, and you'll neverhear an English word from morning to night. "

"Stuff!" She gave me a little shake. "He speaks as good English as Ido. And now we're going to stop talking about him--you're worse than thenewspapers. " She took off her things and going into my closet began torummage for the pop-corn. "Oh, how glad I am to get away, " she sangout to me. "We're supposed to have gone to Mexico; even Dorothy doesn'tknow. Where's the pop-corner or the corn-popper or whatever you callit?"

She was as happy to have escaped the reporters and the people she knewas a child, and she sat down on the floor in front of the fire and beganto shell the corn into the popper, as if she'd done it only the daybefore. 

"I guess you're safe enough here, " I said. "It's always slack inJanuary--only a few chronics and the Saturday-to-Monday husbands, excepta drummer now and then who drives up from Finleyville. It's too earlyfor drooping society buds, and the chronic livers don't get around untillate March, after the banquet season closes. It will be pretty quiet fora while. "

And at that minute the door was flung open, and Bath-house Mikestaggered in. 

"The old doctor!" he gasped. "He's dead, Miss Minnie--died just now inthe hot room in the bathhouse! One minute he was givin' me the divil forsomething or other, and the next--I thought he was asleep. "

Something that had been heavy in my breast all afternoon suddenly seemedto burst and made me feel faint all over. But I didn't lose my head. 

"Does anybody know yet?" I asked quickly. He shook his head. 

"Then he didn't die in the bath-house, Mike, " I said firmly. "He diedin his bed, and you know it. If it gets out that he died in the hot roomI'll have the coroner on you. "

Miss Patty was standing by the railing of the spring. I got my shawl andstarted out after Mike, and she followed. 

"If the guests ever get hold of this they'll stampede. Start anyexcitement in a sanatorium, " I said, "and one and all they'll dip theirthermometers in hot water and swear they've got fever!"

And we hurried to the house together. 

CHAPTER III

A WILL

Well, we got the poor old doctor moved back to his room, and had one ofthe chambermaids find him there, and I wired to Mrs. Van Alstyne, whowas Mr. Dicky Carter's sister, and who was on her honeymoon in SouthCarolina. The Van Alstynes came back at once, in very bad tempers, andwe had the funeral from the preacher's house in Finleyville so as not toharrow up the sanatorium people any more than necessary. Even as it wasa few left, but about twenty of the chronics stayed, and it looked as ifwe might be able to keep going. 

Miss Patty sent to town for a black veil for me, and even went to thefuneral. It helped to take my mind off my troubles to think who it wasthat was holding my hand and comforting me, and when, toward the endof the service, she got out her handkerchief and wiped her eyes I wasalmost overcome, she being, so to speak, in the very shadow of a throne. 

After it was all over the relatives gathered in the sun parlor of thesanatorium to hear the will--Mr. Van Alstyne and his wife and abouttwenty more who had come up from the city for the funeral and stayedover--on the house. 

Well, the old doctor left me the buttons for his full dress waistcoatand his favorite copy of Gray's Anatomy. I couldn't exactly set uphousekeeping with my share of the estate, but when the lawyer read thatpart of the will aloud and a grin went around the room I flounced out ofmy chair. 

"Maybe you think I'm disappointed, " I said, looking hard at the family, who weren't making any particular pretense at grief, and at the housepeople standing around the door. "Maybe you think it's funny to see anunmarried woman get a set of waistcoat buttons and a medical book. Well, that set of buttons was the set he bought in London on his wedding trip, and the book's the one he read himself to sleep with every night fortwenty years. I'm proud to get them. "

Mr. Van Alstyne touched me on the arm. 

"Everybody knows how loyal you've been, Minnie, " he assured me. "Now sitdown like a good girl and listen to the rest of the will. "

"While I'm up I might as well get something else off my mind, " I said. "I know what's in that will, but I hadn't anything to do with it, Mr. Van Alstyne. He took advantage of my being laid up with influenza lastspring. "

They thought that was funny, but a few minutes later they weren't socheerful. You see the sanatorium was a mighty fine piece of property, with a deer park and golf links. We'd had plenty of offers to sell itfor a summer hotel, but we'd both been dead against it. That was one ofthe reasons for the will. 

The whole estate was left to Dicky Carter, who hadn't been able to come, owing to his being laid up with an attack of mumps. The family sat upand nodded at one another, or held up its hands, but when they heardthere was a condition they breathed easier. 

Beginning with one week after the reading of the will--and not a daylater--Mr. Dick was to take charge of the sanatorium and to stay therefor two months without a day off. If at the end of that time the placewas being successfully conducted and could show that it hadn't lostmoney, the entire property became his for keeps. If he failed it was tobe sold and the money given to charity. 

You would have to know Richard Carter to understand the excitement thewill caused. Most of us, I reckon, like the sort of person we've neverdared to be ourselves. The old doctor had gone to bed at ten o'clock allhis life and got up at seven, and so he had a sneaking fondness for theone particular grandson who often didn't go to bed at all. Twice tomy knowledge when he was in his teens did Dicky Carter run away fromschool, and twice his grandfather kept him for a week hidden in theshelter-house on the golf links. Naturally when Mr. Van Alstyne and Ihad to hide him again, which is further on in the story, he went to theold shelter-house like a dog to its kennel, only this time--but that'sahead, too. 

Well, the family went back to town in a buzz of indignation, and Icarried my waistcoat buttons and my Anatomy out to the spring-houseand had a good cry. There was a man named Thoburn who was crazy for theproperty as a summer hotel, and every time I shut my eyes I could see"Thoburn House" over the veranda and children sailing paper boats in themineral spring. 

Sure enough, the next afternoon Mr. Thoburn drove out from Finleyvillewith a suit case, and before he'd taken off his overcoat he came out tothe spring-house. 

"Hello, Minnie, " he exclaimed. "Does the old man's ghost come back todope the spring, or do you do it?"

"I don't know what you are talking about, Mr. Thoburn, " I retortedsharply. "If you don't know that this spring has its origin in--"

"In Schmidt's drug store down in Finleyville!" he finished for me. "Oh, I know all about that spring, Minnie! Don't forget that my father'scows used to drink that water and liked it. I leave it to you, " he said, sniffing, "if a self-respecting cow wouldn't die of thirst before shedrank that stuff as it is now. "

I'd been filling him a glass--it being a matter of habit with me--and hetook it to the window and held it to the light. 

"You're getting careless, Minnie, " he said, squinting at it. "Some ofthose drugs ought to be dissolved first in hot water. There's a lump oflithia there that has Schmidt's pharmacy label on it. "

"Where?" I demanded, and started for it. He laughed at that, and puttingthe glass down, he came over and stood smiling at me. 

"As ingenuous as a child, " he said in his mocking way, "a nice, littlered-haired child! Minnie, how old is this young Carter?"

"Twenty-three. "

"An--er--earnest youth? Willing to buckle down to work and make the oldplace go? Ready to pat the old ladies on the shoulder and squeeze theyoung ones' hands?"

"He's young, " I said, "but if you're counting on his being a fool--"

"Not at all, " he broke in hastily. "If he hasn't too much characterhe'll probably succeed. I hope he isn't a fool. If he isn't, oh, friendMinnie, he'll stand the atmosphere of this Garden of Souls for about aweek, and then he'll kill some of them and escape. Where is he now?"

"He's been sick, " I said. "Mumps!"

"Mumps! Oh, my aunt!" he exclaimed, and fell to laughing. He was stilllaughing when he got to the door. 

"Mumps!" he repeated, with his hand on the knob. "Minnie, the old placewill be under the hammer in three weeks, and if you know what's good foryou, you'll sign in under the new management while there's a vacancy. You've been the whole show here for so long that it will be hard for youto line up in the back row of the chorus. "

"If I were you, " I said, looking him straight in the eye, "I wouldn'tpick out any new carpets yet, Mr. Thoburn. I promised the old doctor I'dhelp Mr. Dick, and I will. "

"So you're actually going to fight it out, " he said, grinning. "Well, the odds are in your favor. You are two to my one. "

"I think it's pretty even, " I retorted. "We will be hindered, so tospeak, by having certain principles of honor and honesty. You have nohandicap. "

He tried to think of a retort, and not finding one he slammed out of thespring-house in a rage. 

Mr. Van Alstyne and his wife came in that same day, just before dinner, and we played three-handed bridge for half an hour. As I've said, they'dbeen on their honeymoon, and they were both sulky at having to stay atthe Springs. It was particularly hard on Mrs. Van Alstyne, because, withseven trunks of trousseau with her, she had to put on black. But sheused to shut herself up in her room in the evenings and deck out for Mr. Sam in her best things. We found it out one evening when Mrs. Biggs setfire to her bureau cover with her alcohol curling-iron heater, and Mrs. Sam, who had been going around in a black crepe dress all day, rushedout in pink satin with crystal trimming, and slippers with cut-glassheels. 

After the first rubber Mrs. Van Alstyne threw her cards on the floor andsaid another day like this would finish her. 

"Surely Dick is able to come now, " she said, like a peevish child. "Didn't he say the swelling was all gone?"

"Do you expect me to pick up those cards?" Mr. Sam asked angrily, looking at her. 

Mrs. Sam yawned and looked up at him. 

"Of course I do, " she answered. "If it wasn't for you I'd not havestayed a moment after the funeral. Isn't it bad enough to have seventrunks full of clothes I've never worn, and to have to put on poky oldblack, without keeping me here in this old ladies' home?"

Mr. Sam looked at the cards and then at her. 

"I'm not going to pick them up, " he declared. "And as to our stayinghere, don't you realize that if we don't your precious brother willnever show up here at all, or stay if he does come? And don't you alsorealize that this is probably the only chance he'll ever have in theworld to become financially independent of us?"

"You needn't be brutal, " she said sharply. "And it isn't so bad foryou here as it is for me. You spend every waking minute admiring MissJennings, while I--there isn't a man in the place who'll talk anythingbut his joints or his stomach. "

She got up and went to the window, and Mr. Sam followed her. Nobodypays any attention to me in the spring-house; I'm a part of it, like thebrass rail around the spring, or the clock. 

"I'm not admiring Miss Jennings, " he corrected, "I'm sympathizing, dear. She looks too nice a girl to have been stung by the title bee, that'sall. "

She turned her back to him, but he pretended to tuck the hair at theback of her neck up under her comb, and she let him do it. As I stoopedto gather up the cards he kissed the tip of her ear. 

"Listen, " he said, "there's a scream of a play down at Finleyvilleto-night called Sweet Peas. Senator Biggs and the bishop went down lastnight, and they say it's the worst in twenty years. Put on a black veiland let's slip away and see it. "

I think she agreed to do it, but that night after dinner, Amanda King, who has charge of the news stand, told me the sheriff had closed theopera-house and that the leading woman was sick at the hotel. 

"They say she looked funny last night, " Amanda finished, "and I guessshe's got the mumps. "

Mumps!

My joint gave a throb at that minute. 

CHAPTER IV

AND A WAY

Mr. Sam wasn't taking any chances, for the next day he went to the cityhimself to bring Mr. Dick up. Everything was quiet that day and the dayafter, except that on the second day I had a difference of opinion withthe house doctor and he left. 

The story of the will had got out, of course, and the guests werewaiting to see Mr. Dick come and take charge. I got a good bit of gossipfrom Miss Cobb, who had had her hair cut short after a fever and used tocome out early in the morning and curl it all over her head, heating thecurler on the fire log. I never smell burnt hair that I don't thinkof Miss Cobb trying to do the back of her neck. She was one of ourregulars, and every winter for ten years she'd read me the letters shehad got from an insurance agent who'd run away with a married woman theday before the wedding. She kept them in a bundle, tied with lavenderribbon. 

It was on the third day, I think, that Miss Cobb told me that Miss Pattyand her father had had a quarrel the day before. She got it from one ofthe chambermaids. Mr. Jennings was a liver case and not pleasant at anytime, but he had been worse than usual. Annie, the chambermaid, toldMiss Cobb that the trouble was about settlements, and that the more MissPatty tried to tell him it was the European custom the worse he got. Miss Patty hadn't come down to breakfast that day, and Mr. Moody andSenator Biggs made a wager in the Turkish bath--according to MissCobb--Mr. Moody betting the wedding wouldn't come off at all. 

"Of course, " Miss Cobb said, wetting her finger and trying the iron tosee if it was hot, "of course, Minnie, they're not married yet, and ifFather Jennings gets ugly and makes any sort of scandal it's all off. Ascandal just now would be fatal. These royalties are very touchy aboutother people's reputations. "

Well, I heard that often enough in the next few days. 

Mr. Sam hadn't come back by the morning of the sixth day, but he wiredhis wife the day before that Mr. Dick was on the way. But we met everytrain with a sleigh, and he didn't come. I was uneasy, knowing Mr. Dick, and Mrs. Sam was worried, too. 

By that time everybody was waiting and watching, and on the early trainon the sixth day came the lawyer, a Mr. Stitt. Mr. Thoburn was goingaround with a sort of greasy smile, and if I could have poisoned himsafely I'd have done it. 

It had been snowing hard for a day or so, and at eleven o'clock that dayI saw Miss Cobb and Mrs. Biggs coming down the path to the spring-house, Mrs. Biggs with her crocheting-bag hanging to the handle of herumbrella. I opened the door, but they wouldn't come in. 

"We won't track up your clean floor, Minnie, " Mrs. Biggs said--she was alittle woman, almost fifty, who'd gone through life convinced she'd onlylived so long by the care she took of herself--"but I thought I'd bettercome and speak to you. Please don't irritate Mr. Biggs to-day. He's beenreading that article of Upton Sinclair's about fasting, and hasn't had abite to eat since noon yesterday. "

I noticed then that she looked pale. She was a nervous creature, although she could drink more spring water than any human being I eversaw, except one man, and he was a German. 

Well, I promised to be careful. I've seen them fast before, and when afat man starts to live on his own fat, like a bear, he gets about thesame disposition. 

Mrs. Biggs started back, but Miss Cobb waited a moment at the foot ofthe steps. 

"Mr. Van Alstyne is back, " she said, "but he came alone. "

"Alone!" I repeated, staring at her in a sort of daze. 

"Alone, " she said solemnly, "and I heard him ask for Mr. Carter. Itseems he started for here yesterday. "

But I'd had time to get myself in hand, and if I had a chill up myspine she never knew it. As she started after Mrs. Biggs I saw Mr. Samhurrying down the path toward the spring-house, and I knew my jointhadn't throbbed for nothing. 

Mr. Sam came in and slammed the door behind him. 

"What's this about Mr. Dick not being here?" he shouted. 

"Well, he isn't. That's all there is to it, Mr. Van Alstyne, " I saidcalmly. I am always calm when other people get excited. For that reasonsome people think my red hair is a false alarm, but they soon find out. 

"But he MUST be here, " said Mr. Van Alstyne. "I put him on the trainmyself yesterday, and waited until it started to be sure he was off. "

"The only way to get Mr. Richard anywhere you want him to go, " I saiddryly, "is to have him nailed in a crate and labeled. "

"Damned young scamp!" said Mr. Van Alstyne, although I have a sign inthe spring-house, "Profanity not allowed. "

"EXACTLY what was he doing when you last laid eyes on him?" I asked. 

"He was on the train--"

"Was he alone?"

"Yes. "

"Sitting?"

"No, standing. What the deuce, Minnie--"

"Waving out the window to you?"

"Of course not!" exclaimed Mr. Van Alstyne testily. "He was raising thewindow for a girl in the next seat. "

"Precisely!" I said. "Would you know the girl well enough to trace her?"

"That's ridiculous, you know, " he said trying to be polite. "Out of athousand and one things that may have detained him--"

"Only one thing ever detains Mr. Dick, and that always detains him, " Isaid solemnly. "That's a girl. You're a newcomer in the family, Mr. VanAlstyne; you don't remember the time he went down here to the station tosee his Aunt Agnes off to the city, and we found him three weeks laterin Oklahoma trying to marry a widow with five children. "

Mr. Van Alstyne dropped into a chair, and through force of habit I gavehim a glass of spring water. 

"This was a pretty girl, too, " he said dismally. 

I sat down on the other side of the fireplace, and it seemed to me thatfather's crayon enlargement over the mantel shook its head at me. 

After a minute Mr. Van Alstyne drank the water and got up. 

"I'll have to tell my wife, " he said. "Who's running the place, anyhow?You?"

"Not--exactly, " I explained, "but, of course, when anything comes upthey consult me. The housekeeper is a fool, and now that the housedoctor's gone--"

"Gone! Who's looking after the patients?"

"Well, most of them have been here before, " I explained, "and I knowtheir treatment--the kind of baths and all that. "

"Oh, YOU know the treatment!" he said, eying me. "And why did the housedoctor go?"

"He ordered Mr. Moody to take his spring water hot. Mr. Moody's springwater has been ordered cold for eleven years, and I refused to change. It was between the doctor and me, Mr. Van Alstyne. "

"Oh, of course, " he said, "if it was a matter of principle--" Hestopped, and then something seemed to strike him. "I say, " he said;"about the doctor--that's all right, you know; lots of doctors and allthat. But for heaven's sake, Minnie, don't discharge the cook. "

Now that was queer, for it had been running in my head all morning thatin the slack season it would be cheaper to get a good woman instead ofthe chef and let Tillie, the diet cook, make the pastry. 

Mr. Sam picked up his hat and looked at his watch. 

"Eleven thirty, " he said, "and no sign of that puppy yet. I guess it'sup to the police. "

"If there was only something to do, " I said, with a lump in my throat, "but to have to sit and do nothing while the old place dies it's--it'sawful, Mr. Van Alstyne. "

"We're not dead yet, " he replied from the door, "and maybe we'll needyou before the day's over. If anybody can sail the old bark to shore, you can do it, Minnie. You've been steering it for years. The old doctorwas no navigator, and you and I know it. "

It was blowing a blizzard by that time, and Miss Patty was the only onewho came out to the spring-house until after three o'clock. She shookthe snow off her furs and stood by the fire, looking at me and notsaying anything for fully a minute. 

"Well, " she said finally, "aren't you ashamed of yourself?"

"Why?" I asked, and swallowed hard. 

"To be in all this trouble and not let me know. I've just this minuteheard about it. Can't we get the police?"

"Mr. Van Alstyne is trying, " I said, "but I don't hope much. Like as notMr. Dick will turn up tomorrow and say his calendar was a day slow. "

I gave her a glass of water, and I noticed when she took it how pale shewas. But she held it up and smiled over it at me. 

"Here's to everything turning out better than we expect!" she said, andmade a face as she drank the water. I thought that she was thinking ofher own troubles as well as mine, for she put down the glass and stoodlooking at her engagement ring, a square red ruby in an old-fashionedsetting. It was a very large ruby, but I've seen showier rings. 

"There isn't anything wrong, Miss Patty, is there?" I asked, and shedropped her hand and looked at me. 

"Oh, no, " she said. "That is, nothing much, Minnie. Father is--I thinkhe's rather ridiculous about some things, but I dare say he'll comearound. I don't mind his fussing with me, but--if it should get in thepapers, Minnie! A breath of unpleasant notoriety now would be fatal!"

"I don't see why, " I said sharply. "The royal families of Europe have agood bit of unpleasant notoriety themselves occasionally. I should thinkthey'd fall over themselves to get some good red American blood. Blueblood's bad blood; you can ask any doctor. "

But she only smiled. 

"You're like father, Minnie, " she said. "You'll never understand. "

"I'm not sure I want to, " I snapped, and fell to polishing glasses. 

The storm stopped a little at three and most of the guests waded downthrough the snow for bridge and spring water. By that time the afternoontrain was in, and no Mr. Dick. Mr. Sam was keeping the lawyer, Mr. Stitt, in the billiard room, and by four o'clock they'd had everythingthat was in the bar and were inventing new combinations of their own. And Mrs. Sam had gone to bed with a nervous headache. 

Senator Biggs brought the mail down to the spring-house at four, butthere was nothing for me except a note from Mr. Sam, rather shaky, whichsaid he'd no word yet and that Mr. Stitt had mixed all the cordials inthe bar in a beer glass and had had to go to bed. 

At half past four Mr. Thoburn came out for a minute. He said there wasonly one other train from town that night and the chances were it wouldbe snowed up at the junction. 

"Better get on the band wagon before the parade's gone past, " he said inan undertone. But I went into my pantry and shut the door with a slam, and when I came out he was gone. 

I nearly went crazy that afternoon. I put salt in Miss Cobb's glass whenshe always drank the water plain. Once I put the broom in the fire andstarted to sweep the porch with a fire log Luckily they were busy withtheir letters and it went unnoticed, the smell of burning straw notrising, so to speak, above the sulphur in the spring. 

Senator Biggs went from one table to another telling how well he feltsince he stopped eating, and trying to coax the other men to starve withhim. 

It's funny how a man with a theory about his stomach isn't happy untilhe has made some other fellow swallow it. 

"Well, " he said, standing in front of the fire with a glass of water inhis hand, "it's worth while to feel like this. My head's as clear asa bell. I don't care to eat; I don't want to eat. The 'fast' is thesolution. "

"Two stages to that solution, Senator, " said the bishop; "first, resolution; last, dissolution. "

Then they all began at once. If you have ever heard twenty people airingtheir theories on diet you know all about it. One shouts for HoraceFletcher, and another one swears by the scraped-beef treatment, andsomebody else never touches a thing but raw eggs and milk, and prettysoon there is a riot of calories and carbohydrates. It always ends thesame way: the man with the loudest voice wins, and the defeated oneslimp over to the spring and tell their theories to me. They know I'mbeing paid to listen. 

On this particular afternoon the bishop stopped the riot by rising andholding up his hand. "Ladies and gentlemen, " he said, "let us not berancorous. If each of us has a theory, and that theory works out to hissatisfaction, then--why are we all here?"

"Merely to tell one another the good news!" Mr. Jennings said sourlyfrom his corner. 

Honest, it was funny. If some folks were healthy they'd be lonesome. 

But when things had got quiet--except Mr. Moody dropping nickels intothe slot-machine--I happened to look over at Miss Patty, and I saw therewas something wrong. She had a letter open in her lap not one of theblue ones with the black and gold seal that every one in the house knewcame from the prince but a white one, and she was staring at it as ifshe'd seen a ghost. 

CHAPTER V

WANTED--AN OWNER

I have never reproached Miss Patty, but if she had only given me theletter to read or had told me the whole truth instead of a part of it, I would have understood, and things would all have been different. It isall very well for her to say that I looked worried enough already, andthat anyhow it was a family affair. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD. 

All she did was to come up to me as I stood in the spring, with her faceperfectly white, and ask me if my Dicky Carter was the Richard Carterwho stayed at the Grosvenor in town. 

"He doesn't stay anywhere, " I said, with my feet getting cold, "butthat's where he has apartments. What has he been doing now?"

"You're expecting him on the evening train, aren't you?" she asked. "Don't stare like that: my father's watching. "

"He ought to be on the evening train, " I said. I wasn't going to say Iexpected him. I didn't. 

"Listen, Minnie, " she said, "you'll have to send him away again themoment he comes. He must not go into the house. "

I stood looking at her, with my mouth open. 

"Not go into the house, " I repeated, "with everybody waiting for him forthe last six days, and Mr. Stitt here to turn things over to him!"

She stood tapping her foot, with her pretty brows knitted. 

"The wretch!" she cried, "the hateful creature as if things weren't badenough! I suppose he'll have to come, Minnie, but I must see him beforehe sees any one else. "

Just then the bishop brought his glass over to the spring. 

"Hot this time, Minnie, " he said. "Do you know, I'm getting themineral-water habit, Patty! I'm afraid plain water will have noattraction for me after this. "

He put his hand over hers on the rail. They were old friends, the bishopand the Jenningses. 

"Well, how goes it to-day with the father?" he said in a low tone, andsmiling. 

Miss Patty shrugged her shoulders. "Worse, if possible. "

"I thought so, " he said cheerfully. "If state of mind is any criterionI should think he has had a relapse. A little salt, Minnie. " Miss Pattystood watching him while he tasted it. 

"Bishop, " she said suddenly, "will you do something for me?"

"I always have, Patty. " He was very fond of Miss Patty, was the bishop. 

"Then--to-night, not later than eight o'clock, get father to playcribbage, will you? And keep him in the card-room until nine. "

"Another escapade!" he said, pretending to be very serious. "Patty, Patty, you'll be the death of me yet. Is thy servant a dog, that heshould do this thing?"

"Certainly NOT, " said Miss Patty. "Just a dear, slightly bald, but stillvery distinguished slave!"

The bishop picked up her left hand and looked at the ring and from thatto her face. 

"There will be plenty of slaves to kiss this little hand, where you aregoing, my child, " he said. "Sometimes I wish that some nice red-bloodedboy here at home--but I dare say it will turn out surprisingly well asit is. "

"Bishop, Bishop!" Mrs. Moody called. "How naughty of you, and with yourbridge hand waiting to be held!"

He carried his glass back to the table, stopping for a moment beside Mr. Jennings. 

"If Patty becomes any more beautiful, " he said, "I shall be in favor ofhaving her wear a mask. How are we young men to protect ourselves?"

"Pretty is as pretty does!" declared Mr. Jennings from behind hisnewspaper, and Miss Patty went out with her chin up. 

Well, I knew Mr. Dick had been up to some mischief; I had suspected itall along. But Miss Patty went to bed, and old Mrs. Hutchins, who's asort of lady's-maid-companion of hers, said she mustn't be disturbed. Iwas pretty nearly sick myself. And when Mr. Sam came out at five o'clockand said he'd been in the long-distance telephone booth for an hourand had called everybody who had ever known Mr. Dick, and that he haddropped right off the earth, I just about gave up. He had got somedetectives, he said, and there was some sort of a story about his havingkept right on the train to Salem, Ohio, but if he had they'd lost thetrail there, and anyhow, with the railroad service tied up by the stormthere wasn't much chance of his getting to Finleyville in time. 

Luckily Mr. Stitt was in bed with a mustard leaf over his stomach andice on his head, and didn't know whether it was night or morning. ButThoburn was going around with a watch in his hand, and Mr. Sam was forkilling him and burying the body in the snow. 

At half past five I just about gave up. I was sitting in front of thefire wondering why I'd taken influenza the spring before from getting myfeet wet in a shower, when I had been standing in a mineral spring forso many years that it's a wonder I'm not web-footed. It was when I hadinfluenza that the old doctor made the will, you remember. Maybe I wascrying, I don't recall. 

It was dark outside, and nothing inside but firelight. Suddenly I seemedto feel somebody looking at the back of my neck and I turned around. There was a man standing outside one of the windows, staring in. 

My first thought, of course, was that it was Mr. Dick, but just as theface vanished I saw that it wasn't. It was older by three or four yearsthan Mr. Dick's and a bit fuller. 

I'm not nervous. I've had to hold my own against chronic grouches toolong to have nerves, so I went to the door and looked out. The mancame around the corner just then and I could see him plainly in thefirelight. He was covered with snow, and he wore a sweater and noovercoat, but he looked like a gentleman. 

"I beg your pardon for spying, " he said, "but the fire looked so snug!I've been trying to get to the hotel over there, but in the dark I'velost the path. "

"That's not a hotel, " I snapped, for that touched me on the raw. "That'sHope Springs Sanatorium, and this is one of the Springs. "

"Oh, Hope Springs, internal instead of eternal!" he said. "That'sawfully bad, isn't it? To tell you the truth, I think I'd better come inand get some; I'm short on hope just now. "

I thought that was likely enough, for although his voice was cheerfuland his eyes smiled, there was a drawn look around his mouth, and hehadn't shaved that day. I wish I had had as much experience in learningwhat's right with folks as I have had in learning what's wrong withthem. 

"You'd better come in and get warm, anyhow, " I told him, "only don'tspring any more gags. I've been 'Hebe' for fourteen years and I'veserved all the fancy drinks you can name over the brass railing of thatspring. Nowadays, when a fellow gets smart and asks for a Mamie Taylor, I charge him a Mamie Taylor price. "

He shut the door behind him and came over to the fire. 

"I'm pretty well frozen, " he said. "Don't be astonished if I melt beforeyour eyes; I've been walking for hours. "

Now that I had a better chance to see him I'd sized up that drawn lookaround his mouth. 

"Missed your luncheon, I suppose, " I said, poking the fire log. Hegrinned rather sheepishly. 

"Well, I haven't had any, and I've certainly missed it, " he said. 

"Fasting's healthy, you know. "

I thought of Senator Biggs, who carried enough fat to nourish him formonths, and then I looked at my visitor, who hadn't an ounce of extraflesh on him. 

"Nothing's healthy that isn't natural, " I declared. "If you'd care fora dish of buttered and salted pop-corn, there's some on the mantel. It'spretty salty; the idea is to make folks thirsty so they'll enjoy themineral water. "

"Think of raising a real thirst only to drown it with spring water!" hesaid. But he got the pop corn and he ate it all. If he hadn't had anyluncheon he hadn't had much breakfast. The queer part was--he was agentleman; his clothes were the right sort, but he had on patent leathershoes in all that snow and an automobile cap. 

I put away the glasses while he ate. Pretty soon he looked up and thedrawn lines were gone. He wasn't like Mr. Dick, but he was the sametype, only taller and heavier built. 

"And so it isn't a hotel, " he remarked. "Well, I'm sorry. Thecaravansary in the village is not to my liking, and I had thought ofengaging a suite up here. My secretary usually attends to these things, but--don't take away all the glasses, Heb--I beg your pardon--but thethirst is coming. "

He filled the glass himself and then he came up and stood in front ofme, with the glass held up in the air. 

"To the best woman I have met in many days, " he said, not mocking butserious. "I was about to lie down and let the little birds cover mewith leaves. " Then he glanced at the empty dish and smiled. "To butteredpop-corn! Long may it wave!" he said, and emptied the glass. 

Well, I found a couple of apples in my pantry and brought them out, andafter he ate them he told me what had happened to him. He had been alittle of everything since he left college he was about twenty-five hadcrossed the Atlantic in a catboat and gone with somebody or other intosome part of Africa--they got lost and had to eat each other or lizards, or something like that--and then he went to the Philippines, and gotstuck there and had to sell books to get home. He had a little money, "enough for a grub-stake, " he said, and all his folks were dead. Thena college friend of his wrote a rural play called Sweet Peas--"Greattitle, don't you think?" he asked--and he put up all the money. It wouldhave been a hit, he said, but the kid in the play--the one that unitesits parents in the last act just before he dies of tuberculosis--the kidtook the mumps and looked as if, instead of fading away, he was going toblow up. Everybody was so afraid of him that they let him die alone forthree nights in the middle of the stage. Then the leading woman took themumps, and the sheriff took everything else. 

"You city folks seem to know so much, " I said, "and yet you bring acountry play to the country! Why don't you bring out a play with womenin low-necked gowns, and champagne suppers, and a scandal or two? Theypacked Pike's Opera-House three years ago with a play called Why WomenSin. "

Well, of course, the thing failed, and he lost every dollar he'd putinto it, which was all he had, including what he had in his pockets. 

"They seized my trunks, " he explained, "and I sold my fur-lined overcoatfor eight dollars, which took one of the girls back home. It's hard forthe women. A fellow can always get some sort of a job--I was coming uphere to see if they needed an extra clerk or a waiter, or chauffeur, or anything that meant a roof and something to eat--but I suppose theydon't need a jack-of-all-trades. "

"No, " I answered, "but I'll tell you what I think they're going to need. And that's an owner!"

CHAPTER VI

THE CONSPIRACY

I'm not making any excuses. I did it for the best. In any sort of crisisthere are always folks who stand around and wring their hands and say, "What shall we do?" And then if it's a fire and somebody has had enoughsense to send for the engines, they say: "Just look at what the waterdid!" Although as far as I can see I'm the only one that suffered anydamage. 

If Mr. Thoburn had not been there, sitting by to see the old sanatoriumdie so it could sprout wings and fly as a summer hotel, I'd never havethought of it. But I was in despair. 

I got up and opened the door, but the Snow came in in a cloud, and thepath was half a foot deep again. It shows on what little threads bigthings hang, for when I saw the storm I gave up the idea of bringing Mr. Sam down to see the young man, and the breath of fresh air in my facebrought me to my senses. 

But the angel of providence appeared in the shape of Mike, the bath man, coming down through the snow in a tearing rage. The instant I saw Mike Iknew it was settled. 

"Am I or am I not to give Mr. Moody a needle shower?" he shouted, almostbeside himself. And I saw he had his overcoat over his bath costume, which is a Turkish towel. 

"A needle shower followed by a salt rub, " said I. "He's been having themfor eleven years. What's the matter?"

"That fool of a young doctor, " shouted Mike, "he told him before he leftthat if he'd been taking them for eleven years and wasn't any betterit was time to stop. Ain't business bad enough--only four people in thehouse takin' baths regular--without his buttin' in!"

"Where's Mr. Moody?"

"In the bath. I've locked up his clothes. "

"You give him a needle shower and a salt rub, " I ordered, "and if hemakes a fuss just send for me. And, Mike, " I said, as he started out, "ask Mr. Van Alstyne to come out here immediately. "

That's the way it was all the time. Everybody brought their troubles tome, and I guess I thought I was a little tin god on wheels and the placecouldn't get along without me. But it did; it does. We all think we'llleave a big hole behind us when we go, but it's just like taking yourthumb out of a bowl of soup. There isn't even a dent. 

Mr. Van Alstyne came out on the run, and when he saw Mr. Pierce by thefire--that was his name, Alan Pierce--he stopped and stared. Then hesaid:

"You infernal young scamp!" And with that Mr. Pierce jumped up, surprised and pretty mad, and Mr. Van Alstyne saw his mistake. 

"I'm sure I beg your pardon!" he said. "The fact is, I was expectingsomebody else, and in the firelight--"

"You surprised me, that's all, " said Mr. Pierce. "Under thecircumstances, I'm glad I'm not the other chap. "

"You may be, " assured Mr. Sam grimly. "You're not unlike him, by theway. A little taller and heavier, but--"

Now it's all very well for Mr. Sam to say I originated the idea and allthat, but as truly as I am writing this, as I watched his face I saw thesame thought come into it. He looked Mr. Pierce up and down, and then hestared into the fire and puckered his mouth to whistle, but he didn't. And finally he glanced at me, but I was looking into the fire, too. 

"Just come, haven't you?" he asked. "How did you get up the hill?"

"Walked, " said Mr. Pierce, smiling. "It took some digging, too. ButI didn't come for my health, unless you think three meals a day arenecessary for health. "

Mr. Sam turned and stared at him. "By Jove! you don't mean it!"

"I wish I didn't, " Mr. Pierce replied. "One of the hardest thingsI've had to remember for the last ten hours was that for two years Ivoluntarily ate only two meals a day. A man's a fool to do a thing likethat! It's reckless. "

Mr. Sam got up and began to walk the floor, his hands in his pockets. Hetried to get my eye, but still I looked in the fire. 

"All traffic's held up, Minnie, " he said. "The eight o'clock train isstalled beyond the junction, in a drift. I've wired the conductor, andCarter isn't on it. "

"Well?" said I. 

"If we could only get past to-day, " Mr. Sam went on; "if Thoburn wouldonly choke to death, or--if there was somebody around who looked likeDick. I dare say, by to-morrow--" He looked at Mr. Pierce, who smiledand looked at him. 

"And I resemble Dick!" said Mr. Pierce. "Well, if he's a moral andupright young man--"

"He isn't!" Mr. Sam broke in savagely. And then and there he sat downand told Mr. Pierce the trouble we were in, and what sort of cheerfulidiot Dicky Carter was, and how everybody liked him, but wished he wouldgrow up before the family good name was gone, and that now he had achance to make good and be self-supporting, and he wasn't around, andif Mr. Sam ever got his hands on him he'd choke a little sense down histhroat. 

And then Mr. Pierce told about the play and the mumps, and how he wasstranded. When Mr. Sam asked him outright if he'd take Mr. Dick's placeovernight he agreed at once. 

"I haven't anything to lose, " he said, "and anyhow I've been on a dietof Sweet Peas so long that a sanatorium is about what I need. "

"It's like this, " explained Mr. Sam, "Old Stitt is pretty thoroughlyjingled--excuse me, Minnie, but it's the fact. I'll take you to hisroom, with the lights low, and all you'll need to do is to shake handswith him. He's going on the early train to-morrow. Then you needn't mixaround much with the guests until to-morrow, and by that time I hope tohave Dick within thrashing distance. "

Just as they'd got it arranged that Mr. Pierce was to put on Mr. Sam'sovercoat and walk down to the village so that he could come up in asleigh, as if he had driven over from Yorkton--he was only to walkacross the hall in front of the office, with his collar up, just enoughto show himself and then go to his room with a chill--just as it was allarranged, Mr. Sam thought of something. 

"The house people are waiting for Dick, " he said to me, "and about fortywomen are crocheting in the lobby, so they'll be sure to see him. Won'tsome of them know it isn't Dick?"

I thought pretty fast. 

"He hasn't been around much lately, " I said. "Nobody would know exceptMrs. Wiggins. She'll never forget him; the last time he was here he puton her false front like a beard and wore it down to dinner. "

"Then it's all off, " he groaned. "She's got as many eyes as a potato. "

"And about as much sense, " said I. "Fiddlesticks! She's not so good wecan't replace her, and what's the use of swallowing a camel and thensticking at a housekeeper?"

"You can't get her out of the house in an hour, " he objected, but in aweak voice. 

"I can!" I said firmly. 

(I did. Inside of an hour she went to the clerk, Mr. Slocum, and handedin her resignation. She was a touchy person, but I did NOT say all thatwas quoted. I did NOT say the kitchen was filthy; I only said it tookaway my appetite to look in at the door. But she left, which is thepoint. )

Well, I stood in the doorway and watched them disappear in the darkness, and I felt better than I had all day. It's great to be able to DOsomething, even if that something is wrong. But as I put on my shawland turned out the lights, I suddenly remembered. Miss Patty would bewaiting in the lobby for Mr. Dick, and she would not be crocheting!

CHAPTER VII. 

MR. PIERCE ACQUIRES A WIFE

Whoever has charge of the spring-house at Hope Springs takes the newsstand in the evening. That's an old rule. The news stand includestobacco and a circulating library, and is close to the office, and if Imissed any human nature at the spring I got it there. If you can't tellall about a man by the way he asks for mineral water and drinks it, bythe time you've supplied his literature and his tobacco and heard himgrumbling over his bill at the office, you've got a line on him and ahook in it. 

After I ate my supper I relieved Amanda King, who runs the news stand inthe daytime, when she isn't laid off with the toothache. 

Mr. Sam was right. All the women had on their puffs, and they weresitting in a half-circle on each side of the door. Mrs. Sam was there, looking frightened and anxious, and standing near the card-room door wasMiss Patty. She was all in white, with two red spots on her cheeks, andI thought if her prince could have seen her then he would pretty nearlyhave eaten her up. Mr. Thoburn was there, of course, pretending to readthe paper, but every now and then he looked at his watch, and oncehe got up and paced off the lobby, putting down the length in hisnote-book. I didn't need a mind-reader to tell me he was figuring thecost of a new hardwood floor and four new rugs. 

Mr. Sam came to the news stand, and he was so nervous he could hardlylight a cigarette. 

"I've had a message from one of the detectives, " he said. "They'vetraced him to Salem, Ohio, but they lost him there. If we can only holdon this evening--! Look at that first-night audience!"

"Mr. Pierce is due in three minutes, " I told him. "I hope you told himto kiss his sister. "

"Nothing of the sort, " he objected. "Why should he kiss her? Mrs. VanAlstyne is afraid of the whole thing: she won't stand for that. "

"I guess she could endure it, " I remarked dryly. 

"It's astonishing how much of that sort of thing a woman can bear. "

He looked at me and grinned. 

"By gad, " he said, "I wouldn't be as sophisticated as you are for a gooddeal. Isn't that the sleigh?"

Everybody had heard it. The women sat up and craned forward to look atthe door: Mrs. Sam was sitting forward clutching the arms of her chair. She was in white, having laid off her black for that evening, with a redrose pinned on her so Mr. Pierce would know her. Miss Patty heard thesleigh-bells also, and she turned and came toward the door. Her mouthwas set hard, and she was twisting the ruby ring as she always did whenshe was nervous. And at the same moment Mr. Sam and I both saw it; shewas in white, too, and she had a red rose tucked in her belt!

Mr. Sam muttered something and rushed at her, but he was too late. Justas he got to her the door opened and in came Mr. Pierce, with Mr. Sam'sfur coat turned up around his ears and Mr. Sam's fur cap drawn well downon his head. He stood for an instant blinking in the light, and Mrs. Van Alstyne got up nervously. He never even saw her. His eyes lighted onMiss Patty's face and stayed there. Mr. Sam was there, but what couldhe do? Mr. Pierce walked over to Miss Patty, took her hand, said, "Hellothere!" and KISSED HER. It was awful. 

Most women will do anything to save a scene, and that helped us, forshe never turned a hair. But when Mr. Sam got him by the arm and led himtoward the stairs, she turned so that the old cats sitting aroundcould not see her and her face was scarlet. She went over to the woodfire--our lobby is a sort of big room with chairs and tables and palms, and an open fire in winter--and sat down. I don't think she knew herselfwhether she was most astonished or angry. 

Mrs. Biggs gave a nasty little laugh. 

"Your brother didn't see you, " she said to Mrs. Van Alstyne. "I dare saya sister doesn't count much when a future princess is around!"

Mrs. Van Alstyne was still staring up the staircase, but she came toherself at that. She had some grit in her, if she did look like a Frenchdoll. 

"My brother and Miss Jennings are very old friends, " she remarkedquietly. I believe that was what she thought, too. I don't think she hadseen the other red rose, and what was she to think but that Mr. Piercehad known Miss Jennings somewhere? She was dazed, Mrs. Sam was. But shecarried off the situation anyhow, and gave us time to breathe. We neededit. 

"If I were his highness, " said Miss Cobb, spreading the Irish lacecollar she was making over her knee and squinting at it, "I should wishmy fiancee to be more er--dignified. Those old Austrian familiesare very haughty. They would not understand our American habit ofosculation. "

I was pretty mad at that, for anybody could have seen Miss Patty didn'tkiss him. 

"If by osculation you mean kissing, Miss Cobb, " I said, going overto her, "I guess you don't remember the Austrian count who was a headwaiter here. If there was anything in the way of osculation that thatmember of an old Austrian family didn't know, I've got to find it out. He could kiss all around any American I ever saw!"

I went back to my news stand. I was shaking so my knees would hardlyhold me. All I could think of was that they had swallowed Mr. Pierce, bait and hook, and that for a time we were saved, although in theelectric light Mr. Pierce was a good bit less like Dicky Carter than hehad seemed to be in the spring-house by the fire. 

Well, "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. "

Everybody went to bed early. Mr. Thoburn came over and bought a cigar onhis way up-stairs, and he was as gloomy as he had been cheerful before. 

"Well, " I said, "I guess you won't put a dancing floor in thedining-room just yet, Mr. Thoburn. "

"I'm not in a hurry, " he snapped. "It's only January, and I don't wantthe place until May. I'll get it when I'm ready for it. I had a goodlook at young Carter, and he's got too square a jaw to run a successfulneurasthenics' home. "

I went to the pantry myself at ten o'clock and fixed a tray of supperfor Mr. Pierce. He would need all his strength the next day, and a mancan't travel far on buttered pop-corn. I found some chicken and got abottle of the old doctor's wine--I had kept the key of his wine-cellarsince he died--and carried the tray up to Mr. Pierce's sitting-room. Hehad the old doctor's suite. 

The door was open an inch or so, and as I was about to knock I heard agirl's voice. It was Miss Patty!

"How can you deny it?" she was saying angrily. "I dare say you will evendeny that you ever saw this letter before!"

There was a minute's pause while I suppose he looked at the letter. 

"I never did!" he said solemnly. 

There had been a queer sound all along, but now I made it out. Some oneelse was in the room, sniveling and crying. 

"My poor lamb!" it whimpered. And I knew it was Mrs. Hutchins, MissPatty's old nurse. 

"Perhaps, " said Miss Patty, "you also deny that you were in Ohio the daybefore yesterday. "

"I was in Ohio, but I positively assert--"

"I'll send for the police, that's what I'll do!" Mrs. Hutchins said, with a burst of rage, and her chair creaked. "How can I ever tell yourfather?"

"You'll do nothing of the sort, " said Miss Patty. "Do you want the wholestory in the papers? Isn't it awful enough as it is? Mr. Carter, I haveasked my question twice now and I am waiting for an answer. "

"But I don't know the answer!" he said miserably. "I--I assure you, I'mabsolutely in the dark. I don't know what's in the letter. I--I haven'talways done what I should, I dare say, but my conduct in the stateof Ohio during the last few weeks has been without stain--unless I'veforgotten--but if it had been anything very heinous, I'd remember, don'tyou think?"

Somebody crossed the room, and a paper rustled. 

"Read that!" said Miss Patty's voice. And then silence for a minute. 

"Good lord!" exclaimed Mr. Pierce. 

"Do you deny that?"

"Absolutely!" he said firmly. "I--I have never even heard of theReverend Dwight Johnstone--"

There was a scream from Mrs. Hutchins, and a creak as she fell into herchair again. 

"Your father!" she said, over and over. "What can we say to yourfather?"

"And that is all you will say?" demanded Miss Patty scornfully. "'Youdon't know;' 'there's a mistake;' 'you never saw the letter before!' Oh, if I were only a man!"

"I'll tell you what we'll do, " Mr. Pierce said, with something likehope in his voice. "We'll send for Mr. Van Alstyne! That's the thing, ofcourse. I'll send for--er--Jim. "

Mr. Van Alstyne's name is Sam, but nobody noticed. 

"Mr. Van Alstyne!" repeated Miss Patty in a dazed way. 

I guessed it was about time to make a diversion, so I knocked and walkedin with the tray, and they all glared at me. Mrs. Hutchins was collapsedin a chair, holding a wet handkerchief to her eyes, and one side ofher cap was loose and hanging down. Miss Patty was standing by a table, white and angry, and Mr. Pierce was about a yard from her, with theletter in his hands. But he was looking at her. 

"I've brought your supper, Mr. Carter, " I began. Then I stopped andstared at Miss Patty and Mrs. Hutchins. "Oh, " I said. 

"Thank you, " said Mr. Pierce, very uncomfortable. "Just put it downanywhere. "

I stalked across the room and put it on the table. Then I turned andlooked at Mrs. Hutchins. 

"I'm sorry, " I said, "but it's one of the rules of this house thatguests don't come to these rooms. They're strictly private. It isn't MYrule, ladies, but if you will step down to the parlor--"

Mrs. Hutchins' face turned purple. She got up in a hurry. 

"I'm here with Miss Jennings on a purely personal matter, " she saidfuriously. "How dare you turn us out?"

"Nonsense, Minnie!" said Miss Patty. "I'll go when I'm ready. "

"Rule of the house, " I remarked, and going over to the door I stoodholding it open. There wasn't any such rule, but I had to get them out;they had Mr. Pierce driven into a corner and yelling for help. 

"There is no such rule and you know it, Minnie!" Miss Patty saidangrily. "Come, Nana! We're not learning anything, and there's nothingto be done until morning, anyhow. My head's whirling. "

Mrs. Hutchins went out first. 

"The first thing I'D do if I owned this place, I'd get rid of thatred-haired girl, " she snapped to Mr. Pierce. "If you want to knowwhy there are fewer guests here every year, I'll tell you. SHE'S thereason!" Then she flounced out with her head up. 

(That was pure piffle. The real reason, as every thinking person knows, is Christian Science. It's cheaper and more handy. And now that it isn'theresy to say it, the spring being floored over, I reckon that mostmineral springs cure by suggestion. Also, of course, if a man's drinkingfour gallons of lithia water a day, he's so saturated that if he doesthrow in anything alcoholic or indigestible, it's too busy swimming forits life to do any harm. )

Mr. Pierce took a quick step toward Miss Patty and looked down at her. 

"About--what happened down-stairs to-night, " he stammered, with theunhappiest face I ever saw on a man, "I--I've been ready to knock myfool head off ever since. It was a mistake--a--"

"My letter, please, " said Miss Patty coolly, looking back at him withouta blink. 

"Please don't look like that!" he begged. "I came in suddenly out of thedarkness, and you--"

"My letter, please!" she said again, raising her eyebrows. 

He gave up trying then. He held out the letter and she took it and wentout with her head up and scorn in the very way she trailed her skirtover the door-sill. But I'm no fool; it didn't need the way he touchedthe door-knob where she had been holding it, when he closed the doorafter her, to tell me what ailed him. 

He was crazy about her from the minute he saw her, and he hadn't achange of linen or a cent to his name. And she, as you might say, on theragged edge of royalty, with queens and princes sending her stomachersand tiaras until she'd hardly need clothes! Well, a cat may look at aking. 

He went over to the fireplace, where I was putting his coffee to keep ithot, and looked down at me. 

"I've a suspicion, Minnie, " he said, "that, to use a vulgar expression, I've bitten off more than I can chew in this little undertaking, andthat I'm in imminent danger of choking to death. Do you know anybody, afriend of Miss er--Jennings, named Dorothy?"

"She's got a younger sister of that name, " I said, with a sort of chillgoing over me. "She's in boarding-school now. "

"Oh, no, she's not!" he remarked, picking up the coffee-pot. "It seemsthat I met her on the train somewhere or other the day before yesterday, and ran off with her and married her!"

I sat back on the rug speechless. 

"You should have warned me, Minnie, " he went on, growing more cheerfulover his chicken and coffee. "I came up here to-night, the proudpossessor of a bunch of keys, a patent folding cork-screw and a pocket, automobile road map. Inside two hours I have a sanatorium and a wife. At this rate, Minnie, before morning I may reasonably hope to have afamily. "

I sat where I was on the floor and stared into the fire. Don't tell methe way of the wicked is hard; the wicked get all the fun there isout of life, and as far as I can see, it's the respectable "in at teno'clock and up at seven" part of the wicked's family that has all thetrouble and does the worrying. 

"If we could only keep it hidden for a few days!" I said. "But, ofcourse, the papers will get it, and just now, with columns every dayabout Miss Patty's clothes--"

"Her what?"

"And all the princes of the blood sending presents, and the king notfavoring it very much--"

"What are you talking about?"

"About Miss Jennings' wedding. Don't you read the newspaper?"

He hadn't really known who she was up to that minute. He put down thetray and got up. 

"I--I hadn't connected her with the--the newspaper Miss Jennings, "he said, and lighted a cigarette over the lamp. Something in his facestartled me, I must say. 

"You're not going to give up now?" I asked. I got up and put my hand onhis arm, and I think he was shaking. "If you do, I'll--I'll go out anddrown myself, head down, in the spring. "

He had been going to run away--I saw it then--but he put a hand overmine. Then he looked at the door where Miss Patty had gone out and gavehimself a shake. 

"I'll stay, " he said. "We'll fight it out on this line if it takes allsummer, Minnie. " He stood looking into the fire, and although I'm notfond of men, knowing, as I have explained, a great deal about theirstomachs and livers and very little about their hearts, there wassomething about Mr. Pierce that made me want to go up and pat him on thehead like a little boy. "After all, " he said, "what's blue blood to goodred blood?"

Which was almost what the bishop had said!

CHAPTER VIII

AND MR. MOODY INDIGESTION

Mr. Moody took indigestion that night--not but that he always had it, but this was worse--and Mrs. Moody came to my room about two o'clock andknocked at the door. 

"You'd better come, " she said. "There's no doctor, and he's awful bad. Blames you, too; he says you made him take a salt rub. "

"My land, " I snapped, trying to find my bedroom slippers, "I didn't makehim take clam chowder for supper, and that's what's the matter with him. He's going on a strained rice diet, that's what he's going to do. I'vegot to have my sleep. "

She was waiting in the hall in her kimono, and holding a candle. Anybodycould see she'd been crying. As she often said to me, of course she wasgrateful that Mr. Moody didn't drink--no one knew his virtues betterthan she did. But her sister married a man who went on a terrible battwice a year, and all the rest of the time he was humble and affabletrying to make up for it. And sometimes she thought if Mr. Moody wouldonly take a little whisky when he had these attacks--! I'd rather bethe wife of a cheerful drunkard any time than have to live with acantankerous saint. Miss Cobb and I had had many a fight over it, but atthat time there wasn't much likelihood of either of us being called onto choose. 

Well, we went down to Mr. Moody's room, and he was sitting up in bedwith his knees drawn up to his chin and a hot-water bottle held to him. 

"Look at your work, woman, " he said to me when I opened the door. 

"I'm dying!"

"You look sick, " I said, going over to the bed. It never does to crossthem when they get to the water-bottle stage. "The pharmacy clerk's goneto a dance over at Trimble's, but I guess I can find you some whisky. "

"Do have some whisky, George, " begged Mrs. Moody, remembering herbrother-in-law. 

"I never touch the stuff and you both know it, " he snarled. He had afresh pain just then and stopped, clutching up the bottle. "Besides, " hefinished, when it was over, "I haven't got any whisky. "

Well, to make a long story short, we got him to agree to some whiskyfrom the pharmacy, with a drop of peppermint in it, if he could wash itdown with spring water so it wouldn't do him any harm. 

"There isn't any spring water in the house, " I said, losing my temper alittle, "and I'm not going out there in my bedroom slippers, Mr. Moody. I don't see why your eating what you shouldn't needs to give mepneumonia. "

Mrs. Moody was standing beside the bed, and I saw her double chinbegin to work. If you have ever seen a fat woman, in a short red kimonoholding a candle by, a bed, and crying, you know how helpless she looks. 

"Don't go, Minnie, " she sniffled. "It would be too awful. If you areafraid you could take the poker. "

"I'm not going!" I declared firmly. "It's--it's dratted idiocy, that'sall. Plain water would do well enough. There's a lot of people thinkwhisky is poison with water, anyhow. Where's the pitcher?"

Oh, yes, I went. I put on some stockings of Mrs. Moody's and a petticoatand a shawl and started. It was when I was in the pharmacy looking forthe peppermint that I first noticed my joint again. A joint like that'sa blessing or a curse, the way you look at it. 

I found the peppermint and some whisky and put them on the stairs. ThenI took my pitcher and lantern and started for the spring-house. It wasstill snowing, and part of the time Mrs. Moody's stockings were up totheir knees. The wind was blowing hard, and when I rounded the cornerof the house my lantern went out. I stood there in the storm, with theshawl flapping, thanking heaven I was a single woman, and about readyto go back and tell Mr. Moody what I thought of him when I looked towardthe spring-house. 

At first I thought it was afire, then I saw that the light was comingfrom the windows. Somebody was inside, with a big fire and all thelights going. 

I'd had tramps sleep all night in the spring-house before, and once theyleft a card by the spring: "Water, water everywhere and not a drop todrink!" So I started out through the snow on a half run. By the bridgeover Hope Springs Creek I slipped and fell, and I heard the pitchersmash to bits on the ice below. But as soon as I could move I went onagain. That spring-house had been my home for a good many years, and thetramp didn't live who could spend the night there if I knew it. 

I realized then that I should have taken the poker. I went overcautiously to one of the windows, wading in deep snow to get there--andif you have ever done that in a pair of bedroom slippers you can realizethe state of my mind--and looked in. 

There were three chairs drawn up in a row in front of the fire, withmy bearskin hearth-rug on them to make a couch, and my shepherd's plaidshawl folded at one end for a pillow. And stretched on that with herlong sealskin coat laid over her was Dorothy Jennings, Miss Patty'syounger sister! She was alone, as far as I could see, and she wasleaning on her elbow with her cheek in her hand, staring at the fire. Just then the door into the pantry opened and out came Mr. Dick himself. 

"Were you calling, honey?" he said, coming over and looking down at her. 

"You were such a long time!" says she, glancing up under her lashes athim. "I--I was lonely!"

"Bless you, " says Mr. Dick, stooping over her. "What did I ever dowithout you?"

I could have told her a few things he did, but by that time it wascoming over me pretty strong that here was the real Dicky Carter andthat I had an extra one on my hands. The minute I looked at this one Iknew that nobody but a blind man would mistake one for the other, andMr. Thoburn wasn't blind. I tell you I stood out in that snow-bank andperspired!

When I looked again Mr. Dick was on his knees by the row of chairs, andMiss Dorothy--Mrs. Dicky, of course--was running her fingers through hishair. 

"Minnie used to keep apples and things in the pantry, " he said, "but shemust be growing stingy in her old age; there's not a bite there. "

"I'm not so very hungry when I have you!" cooed Mrs. Dicky. 

"But you can't eat me. " He brought her hand down from his hair--I may bestingy in my old age, but I've learned a few things, and one is that aman feels like a fool with his hair rumpled, and I can tell the degreeof a woman's experience by the way she lets his top hair alone--andpretended to bite it, her hand, of course. "Although I could eat you, "he said. "I'd like to take a bite out of your throat right there. "

Well, it was no place for me unless they knew I was around. I wadedaround to the door and walked in, and there was a grand upsetting of thesealskin coat and my shepherd's plaid shawl. Mr. Dick jumped to his feetand Mrs. Dick sat bolt upright and stared at me over the backs of thechairs. 

"Minnie!" cried Mr. Dick. "As I'm a married man, it's Minnie herself;Minnie, the guardian angel! The spirit of the place! Dorothy, don't youremember Minnie?"

She came toward me with her hand out. She was a pretty little thing, notso beautiful as Miss Patty, but with a nice way about her. 

"I'm awfully glad to see you again, " she said. "Of course Iremember--why you are hardly dressed at all! You must be frozen!"

I went over to the fire and emptied my bedroom slippers of snow. Then Isat down and looked at them both. 

"Frozen!" repeated I; "I'm in a hot sweat. If you two children meant tocome, why in creation didn't you come in time?"

"We did, " replied Mr. Dick, promptly. "We crawled under the wire fenceinto the deer park at five minutes to twelve. The will said 'Be on theground, ' and I was--flat on the ground!"

"We've had the police, " I said, drearily enough. "I wouldn't livethrough another day like yesterday for a hundred dollars. "

"We were held up by the snow, " he explained. "We got a sleigh to comeover in, but we walked up the hill and came here. I don't mind sayingthat my wife's people don't know about this yet, and we're going to laylow until we've cooked up some sort of a scheme to tell them. " Then hecame over and put his hand on my shoulder. 

"Poor old Minnie!" he said; "honest, I'm sorry. I've been a hard childto raise, haven't I? But that's all over, Minnie. I've got an incentivenow, and it's 'steady, old boy, ' for me from now. You and I will run theplace and run it right. "

"I don't want to!" I retorted, holding my bedroom slippers to steambefore the fire. "I'm going to buy out Timmon's candy store and live aquiet life, Mr. Dick. This place is making me old. "

"Nonsense! We're going to work together, and we'll make this the busiestspot in seven counties. Dorothy and I have got it all planned out andwe've got some corking good ideas. " He put his hands in his pockets andstrutted up and down. "It's the day of advertising, you know, Minnie, "he said. "You've got to have the goods, and then you've got tolet people know you've got the goods. What would you say to ashooting-gallery in the basement, under the reading-room?"

"Fine!" I said, with sarcasm, turning my slippers. "If things gottoo quiet that would wake them up a bit, and we could have a balloonascension on Saturdays!"

"Not an ascension, " said he, with my bitterness going right over hishead. "Nothing sensational, Minnie. That's the way with women; they'realways theatrical. But what's the matter with a captive balloon, andletting fresh-air cranks sleep in a big basket bed--say, at five hundredfeet? Or a thousand--a thousand would be better. The air's purer. "

"With a net below, " says I, "in case they should turn over and fall outof bed! It's funny nobody ever thought of it before!"

"Isn't it?" exclaimed Mrs. Dick. "And we've all sorts of ideas. Dick--Mr. Carter has learned of a brand new cocktail for the men--"

"A lulu!" he broke in. 

"And I'm going around to read to the old ladies and hold their hands--"

"You'll have to chloroform them first, " I put in. "Perhaps it would bebetter to give the women the cocktail and hold the men's hands. "

"Oh, if you're going to be funny!" Mr. Dick said savagely, "we'll nottell you any more. I've been counting on you, Minnie. You've been hereso long. You know, " he said to his wife, "when I was a little shaver Ithought Minnie had webbed-feet--she was always on the bank, like a duck. You ARE a duck, Minnie, " he says to me; "a nice red-headed duck! Nowdon't be quirky and spoil everything. "

I couldn't be light-hearted to save my life. 

"Your sister's been wild all day, " I told Mrs. Dick. "She got yourletter to-day--yesterday--but I don't think she's told your father yet. "

"What!" she screeched, and caught at the mantelpiece to hold herself. "Not Pat!" she said, horrified, "and father! Here!"

Well, I listened while they told me. They hadn't had the faintest ideathat Mr. Jennings and Miss Patty were there at the sanatorium. The girlhad been making a round of visits in the Christmas holidays, and insteadof going back to school she'd sent a forged excuse and got a monthoff--she hadn't had any letters, of course. The plan had been notto tell anybody but her sister until Mr. Dick had made good at thesanatorium. 

"The idea was this, Minnie, " said Mr. Dick. "Old--I mean Mr. Jenningsis--is not well; he has a chronic indisposition--"

"Disposition, I call it, " put in Mr. Jennings' daughter. 

"And he's apt to regard my running away with Dorothy when I haven't apenny as more of an embezzlement than an elopement. "

"Fiddle!" exclaimed Mrs. Dick. "I asked you to marry me, and now they'rehere and have to spoil it all. "

The thought of her father and his disposition suddenly overpowered herand she put her yellow head on the back of a chair and began to cry. 

"I--I can't tell him!" she sobbed. "I wrote to Pat, --why doesn't Pattell him? I'm going back to school. "

"You'll do nothing of the sort. You're a married woman now, and whereI go you go. My country is your country, and my sanatorium is yoursanatorium. " He was in a great rage. 

But she got up and began trying to pull on her fur coat, and her jaw wasset. She looked like her father for a minute. 

"Where are you going?" he asked, looking scared. 

"Anywhere. I'll go down to the station and take the first train, itdoesn't matter where to. " She picked up her muff, but he went over andstood against the door. 

"Not a step without me!" he declared. "I'll go with you, of course; youknow that. I'm not afraid of your father: I'd as soon as not go in andwake him now and tell him the whole thing--that you've married a chapwho isn't worth the butter on his bread, who can't buy you kid gloves--"

"But you will, as soon as the sanatorium succeeds!" she put in bravely. She put down her muff. "Don't tell him to-night, anyhow. Maybe Pat willthink of some way to break it to him. She can do a lot with father. "

"I hope she can think of some way to break another Richard Carter to thepeople in the house, " I said tartly. 

"Another Richard Carter!" they said together, and then I told them abouthow we had waited and got desperate, and how we'd brought in Mr. Pierceat the last minute and that he was asleep now at the house. They roared. To save my life I couldn't see that it was funny. But when I came to thepart about Thoburn being there, and his having had a good look at Mr. Pierce, and that he was waiting around with his jaws open to snap upthe place when it fell under the hammer, Mr. Dick stopped laughing andlooked serious. 

"Lord deliver us from our friends!" he said. "Between you and Sam, you've got things in a lovely mess, Minnie. What are you going to doabout it now?"

"It's possible we can get by Thoburn, " I said. "You can slip into-night, we can get Mr. Pierce out--Lord knows he'll be glad to go--andMiss Dorothy can go back to school. Then, later, when you've got thingsrunning and are making good--"

"I'm not going back to school, " she declared, "but I'll go away; I'llnot stand in your way, Dicky. " She took two steps toward the door andwaited for him to stop her. 

"Nonsense, Minnie, " he exclaimed angrily and put his arm around her, "Iwon't be separated from my wife. You got me into this scrape, and--"

"I didn't marry you!" I retorted. "And I'm not responsible for yourfather-in-law's disposition. "

"You'll have to help us out, " he finished. 

"What shall I do? Murder Mr. Jennings?" I asked bitterly. "If you expectme to suggest that you both go to the house, and your wife can hide inyour rooms--"

"Why not?" asked Mr. Dick. 

Well, I sat down again and explained patiently that it would get outamong the servants and cause a scandal, and that even if it didn't Iwasn't going to have any more deception: I had enough already. And aftera while they saw it as I did, and agreed to wait and see Miss Pattybefore they decided. They wanted to have her wakened at once, but Irefused, although I agreed to bring her out first thing in the morning. 

"But you can't stay here, " I said. "There'll be Miss Cobb at nineo'clock, and the man comes to light the fire at eight. "

"We could go to the old shelter-house on the golf links, " suggested Mr. Dick, looking me square in the eye. (I took the hint, and Mrs. Dickynever knew he had been hidden there before. )

"Nobody ever goes near it in winter. " So I put on my slippers again andwe started through the snow across the golf links, Mr. Dick carrying abundle of firewood, and I leading the way with my lantern. Twice I wentinto a drift to my waist, and once a rabbit bunted into me head on, andwould have scared me into a chill if I hadn't been shaking already. Thetwo behind me were cheerful enough. Mr. Dick pointed out the generaldirection of the deer park which hides the shelter-house from thesanatorium, and if you'll believe it, with snow so thick I had to scrapeit off the lantern every minute or so, those children planned to givesomething called A Midsummer Night's Dream in the deer park among thetrees in the spring, to entertain the patients. 

"I wish to heaven I'd wake up and find all THIS a dream, " I called backover my shoulder. But they were busy with costumes and getting somefolks they knew from town to take the different parts and they nevereven heard me. The last few yards they snowballed each other and me. Itell you I felt a hundred years old. 

We got into the shelter-house by my crawling through a window, and whenwe had lighted the fire and hung up the lantern, it didn't seem sobad. The place had been closed since summer, and it seemed colder thanoutside, but those two did the barn dance then and there. There were tworooms, and Mr. Dick had always used the back one to hide in. It's a goodthing Mrs. Dick was not a suspicious person. Many a woman would havewondered when she saw him lift a board in the floor and take out arusty tin basin, a cake of soap, a moldy towel, a can of sardines, atooth-brush and a rubber carriage robe to lay over the rafters under thehole in the roof. But it's been my experience that the first few daysof married life women are blind because they want to be and after thatbecause they have to be. 

It was about four when I left them, sitting on a soap box in front ofthe fire toasting sardines on the end of Mr. Dick's walking-stick. Mrs. Dick made me put on her sealskin coat, and I took the lantern, leavingthem in the firelight. They'd gone back to the captive balloon idea andwere wondering if they couldn't get it copyrighted!

I took a short cut home, crawling through the barbed-wire fence andgoing through the deer park. I was too tired and cold to think. Istumbled down the hill to the house, and just before I got to the cornerI heard voices, and the shuffling of feet through the snow. The nextinstant a lantern came around the corner of the house. Mr. Thoburn wascarrying it, and behind him were the bishop, Mike the bath man, and Mr. Pierce. 

"It's like that man Moody, " the bishop was saying angrily, "to send thegirl--"

"Piffle!" snarled Mr. Thoburn. "If ever a woman was able to take careof herself--" And then they saw me, and they all stopped and stared. 

"Good gracious, girl!" said the bishop, with his dressing-gown blowingout straight behind him in the wind. "We thought you'd been buried in adrift!"

"I don't see why!" I retorted defiantly. "Can't I go out to my ownspring-house without having a posse after me to bring me back?"

"Ordinarily, " said Mr. Thoburn, with his snaky eyes on me, "I thinkI may say that you might go almost anywhere without my turning out torecover you. But Mrs. Moody is having hysterics. "

Mrs. Moody! I'd forgotten the Moodys!

"She is convinced that you have drowned yourself, head down, in thespring, " Mr. Pierce said in his pleasant way. "You've been gone twohours, you know. "

He took my arm and turned me toward the house. I was dazed. 

"In answer to your urgent inquiry, " Mr. Thoburn called after me, disagreeably, "Mr. Moody has not died. He is asleep. But, by the way, where's the spring water?"

I didn't answer him; I couldn't. We went into the house; Mrs. Moody andMiss Cobb were sitting on the stairs. Mrs. Moody had been crying, andMiss Cobb was feeding her the whisky I had left, with a teaspoon. Shehad had a half tumblerful already and was quite maudlin. She ran to meand put her arms around me. 

"I thought I was a murderess!" she cried. "Oh, the thought! Blood on mysoul! Why, Minnie Waters, wherever did you get that sealskin coat!"

CHAPTER IX

DOLLY, HOW COULD YOU?

I lay down across my bed at six o'clock that morning, but I was tootired and worried to sleep, so at seven I got up and dressed. 

I was frightened when I saw myself in the glass. My eyes looked likeburnt holes in a blanket. I put on two pairs of stockings and heavyshoes, for I knew I was going to do the Eskimo act again that day andgoodness knows how many days more, and then I went down and knockedat the door of Miss Patty's room. She hadn't been sleeping either. Shecalled to me in an undertone to come in, and she was lying propped upwith pillows, with something pink around her shoulders and the nightlamp burning beside the bed. She had a book in her hand, but all overthe covers and on the table at her elbow were letters in the blueforeign envelopes with the red and black and gold seal. 

I walked over to the foot of the bed. 

"They're here, " I said. 

She sat up, and some letters slid to the floor. 

"THEY'RE here!" she repeated. "Do you mean Dorothy?"

"She and her husband. They came last night at five minutes to twelve. Their train was held up by the blizzard and they won't come in untilthey see you. They're hiding in the shelter-house on the golf links. "

I think she thought I was crazy: I looked it. She hopped out of bed andclosed the door into her sitting-room--Mrs. Hutchins' room opened offit--and then she came over and put her hand on my arm. 

"Will you sit down and try to tell me just what you mean?" she said. "How can my sister and her--her wretch of a husband have come last nightat midnight when I saw Mr. Carter myself not later than ten o'clock?"

Well, I had to tell her then about who Mr. Pierce was and why I hadto get him, and she understood almost at once. She was the mostunderstanding girl I ever met. She saw at once what Mr. Sam wouldn'thave known in a thousand years--that I wanted to save the old place notto keep my position--but because I'd been there so long, and my fatherbefore me, and had helped to make it what it was and all that. Andshe stood there in her nightgown--she who was almost a princess--andlistened to me, and patted me on the shoulder when I broke down, tellingher about Thoburn and the summer hotel. 

"But here I am, " I finished, "telling you about my troubles andforgetting what I came for. You'll have to go out to the shelter-house, Miss Patty. And I guess you're expected to fix it up with your father. "

She stopped unfastening her long braids of hair. 

"Certainly I'll go to the shelter-house, " she said, "and I'll shake alittle sense into Dorothy Jennings--the abominable little idiot! Butthey needn't think I'm going to help them with father; I wouldn't if Icould, and I can't. He won't speak to me. I'm in disgrace, Minnie. " Shegave her hair a shake, twisted it into a rope and then a knot, andstuck a pin in it. It was lovely: I wish Miss Cobb could have seen her. "You've known father for years, Minnie: have you ever known him to beso--so--"

"Devilish" was the word she meant, but I finished for her. 

"Unreasonable?" I said. "Well, once before when you were a little girl, he put his cane through a window in the spring-house, because he thoughtit needed air. The spring-house, of course, not the cane. "

"Exactly, " she said, looking around the room, "and now he's putting acane through every plan I have made. Do you see my heavy boots?"

"It's like this, " I remarked, bringing the boots from outside the door, "if he's swallowed the prince and is choking on the settlement questionhe might as well get over it. All those foreigners expect pay for takinga wife. Didn't the chef here want to marry Tillie, the diet cook, anddidn't he want her to turn over the three hundred dollars she had in thebank, and her real estate, which was a sixth interest in a cemetery lot?But Tillie stuck it out and he wouldn't take her without. "

"It isn't quite the same, Minnie, " she said, sitting down on the floorto put on her stockings. 

"The principle's the same, " I retorted, "and if you ask me--"

"I haven't, " she said disagreeably, "and when you begin to argue, Minnie, you make my head ache. "

"I have had a heartache for a week, " I snapped, "let alone heartburn, and I'll be glad when the Jennings family is safely married and I cansleep at night. "

I was hurt. I went out and shut the door behind me, but I stopped in thehall and went back. 

"I forgot to say, " I began, and stopped. She was still sitting on thefloor, trying to put her heavy boots on, and crying all over them. 

"Stop that instantly, " I said, and jerked her shoes from her. "Get intoa chair and let me put them on. And if you will wait a jiffy I'll bringyou a cup of coffee. I'm not even a Christian in the morning until I'vehad my coffee. "

"You haven't had it yet, have you?" she asked, and we laughed together, rather shaky. But as I buttoned her shoes I saw her eyes going towardthe blue letters on the bed. 

"Oh, Minnie, " she said, "if you only knew how peculiar they are inEurope! They'll never allow a sanatorium in the family!"

"I guess a good many would be the better for having one close, " I said. 

Well, I left her to get dressed and went to the kitchens. Tillie wasthere getting the beef tea ready for the day, but none of the rest wasaround. They knew the housekeeper was gone, but I guess they'd forgottenthat I was still on hand. I put a kettle against the electric bell thatrings in the chef's room so it would keep on ringing and went on intothe diet kitchen. 

"Tillie, " I said, "can you trust me?"

She looked up from her beef. 

"Whether I can or not, I always have, " she answered. 

"Well, can I trust you? That's more to the point. "

She put down her knife and came over to me, with her hands on her hips. 

"I don't know what you're up to, Minnie, " she said, "and I don't knowthat I care. But if you've forgotten the time I went to the city andbrought you sulphur and the Lord only knows what for your old springwhen you'd run short and were laid up with influenza--"

"Hush!" I exclaimed. "You needn't shout it. Tillie, I don't want youto ask me any questions, but I want four raw eggs in a basket, a pot ofcoffee and cream, some fruit if you can get it when the chef unlocks therefrigerator room, and bread and butter. They can make their own toast. "

"They?" she said, with her mouth open. 

But I didn't explain any more. I had found Tillie about a year before, frying sausages at the railroad station, and made her diet cook atthe sanatorium. Mrs. Wiggins hadn't wanted her, but, as I told the olddoctor at the time, we needed somebody in the kitchen to keep an eye onthings for us. It was through Tillie that we discovered that the helpwere having egg-nog twice a day, with eggs as scarce as hens' teeth, andthe pharmacy clerk putting in a requisition for more whisky every week. 

Well, I scribbled a note to Mr. Van Alstyne, telling what had happened, and put it under his door, and then I met Miss Patty in the hall by thebilliard room and I gave her some coffee from the basket, in the sunparlor. It was still dark, although it was nearly eight o'clock, andnobody saw us go out together. Just as we left I heard the chef in thekitchen bawling out that he'd murder whoever put the kettle against thebell, and Tillie saying it must have dropped off the hook and landedthere. 

We went to the spring-house first, to avoid suspicion, and then acrossback of the deer park to the shelter-house. It was still snowing, butnot so much, and the tracks we had made early in the morning were stillthere, mine off to one side alone, and the others close together andside by side. There was a whole history in those snow tracks, mine aloneand kind of offish, and the others cuddling together. It made me lonelyto look at them. 

I remember wishing I'd taught school, as I was educated to; woman wasn'tmade to live alone, and most school-teachers get married. 

Miss Patty did not say much. She was holding her chin high and lookingrather angry and determined. At the spring-house I gave her the basketand took an armful of fire-wood myself. I knew Mr. Dick would neverthink of it until the fire was out. 

They were both asleep in the shelter-house. He was propped up againstthe wall on a box, with the rubber carriage robe around him, and she waslying by the fire, with Mrs. Moody's shawl over her and her muff underher head. Miss Patty stood in the doorway for an instant. Then shewalked over and, leaning down, shook her sister by the arm. 

"Dorothy!" she said. "Wake up, you wretched child!" And shook her again. 

Mrs. Dicky groaned and yawned, and opened her eyes one at a time. 

But when she saw it was Miss Patty she sat up at once, looking dazed andfrightened. 

"You needn't pinch me, Pat!" she said, and at that Mr. Dick wakened andjumped up, with the carriage robe still around him. 

"Oh, Dolly, Dolly!" said Miss Patty suddenly, dropping on her kneesbeside Mrs. Dicky, "what a bad little girl you are! What a thing for youto do! Think of father and Aunt Honoria!"

"I shan't, " retorted Mrs. Dicky decidedly. "I'm not going to spoil myhoneymoon like that. For heaven's sake, Pat, don't cry. I'm not dead. Dick, this is my sister, Patricia. "

Miss Pat looked at him, but she didn't bow. She gave him one look, fromhis head to his heels. 

"Dolly, how COULD you!" she said, and got up. 

It wasn't very comfortable for Mr. Dick, but he took it much better thanI expected. He went over and gave his wife a hand to help her up, andstill holding hers, he turned to Miss Patty. 

"You are perfectly right, " he said, "I don't see how she could myself. The more you know of me the more you'll wonder. But she did; we're upagainst that. "

He grinned at Miss Patty, and after a minute Miss Patty smiled back. Butit wasn't much of a smile. I was unpacking the breakfast, putting thecoffee-pot on the fire and getting ready to cook the eggs and maketoast. But I was watching, too. Suddenly Mrs. Dick made a dive for MissPatty and threw her arms around her. 

"You darling!" she cried. "I'm so glad to see you again--Pat, you'lltell father, won't you? He'll take it from you. If I tell him he'll haveapoplexy or something. "

But Miss Patty set her pretty mouth--both those girls have theirfather's mouth--and held her sister out at arm's length and looked ather. 

"Listen, " she said. "Do you know what you have done to me? Do you knowthat when father knows this he's going to annul the marriage or have Mr. Carter arrested for kidnaping or abduction?--whatever it is. " Mrs. Dickpuckered her face to cry, and Mr. Dick took a step forward, but MissPatty waved him off. "You know father as well as I do, Dolly. You knowwhat he is, and lately he's been awful. He's not well--it's his liveragain--and he won't listen to anything. Why, the Austrian ambassadorcame up here, all this distance, to talk about the etiquette of the--ofmy wedding, something about precedence, and he wouldn't even see him. "

"He can't annul it, " said Mr. Dick angrily. "I'm of age. And I cansupport my wife, too, or will be able--soon. "

"Dolly's not of age, " said Miss Patty wearily. "I've sat up all nightfiguring it out. He's going to annul the marriage, or he'll make ascandal anyhow, and that's just as bad. Dolly, "--she turned to hersister imploringly--"Dolly, I can't have a scandal now. You know howOskar's people have taken this, anyhow; they've given in, because heinsisted, but they don't want me, and if there's a lot of notoriety nowthe emperor will send him to Africa or some place, and--"

"I wish they would!" Mrs. Carter burst out suddenly. "I hate the wholething. They only tolerate you--us--for our money. You needn't look atme like that; Oskar may be all right, but his mother and sisters arehateful--simply hateful!"

"I'll not be with them. "

"No, but they'll be with you. " Mrs. Dicky walked over to the window andlooked out, dabbing her eyes. "You've been everything to me, Pat, andI'm so happy now--I'd rather be here on a soap box with Dick than ona throne or a dais or whatever you'll have to sit on over there, withOskar. I want to be happy--and you won't. Look at Alice Thorne and herduke!"

"If you really want me to be happy, " Miss Patty said, going over to her, "you'll go back to school until the wedding is over. "

"I won't leave Dicky. " She swung around and gave Mr. Dick an adoringglance, and Miss Patty looked discouraged. 

"Take him with you, " she said. "Isn't there some place near where hecould stay, and telephone you now and then?"

"Telephone!" said Mrs. Dick scornfully. 

"Can't leave, " Mr. Dick objected. "Got to be on the property. "

Miss Patty shrugged her shoulders and turned to go. "You're bothperfectly hopeless, " she said. "I'll go and tell father, Dorothy, butyou know what will happen. You'll be back in school at Greenwich byto-night, and your--husband will probably be under arrest. " She openedthe door, but I dropped the toast I was making and ran after her. 

"If he is arrested, " I said, "they'll have to keep him on the place. Hecan't leave. "

She didn't say anything; she lifted her hand and looked at the rubyring, and then she glanced back into the room where Mr. Dick and hiswife were whispering together, and turned up her coat collar. 

"I'm going, " she said, and stepped into the snow. But they called herback in a hurry. 

"Look here, Miss--Miss Patricia, " Mr. Dick said, "why can't we stayhere, where we are? It's very comfortable--that is, it's livable. There's plenty of fresh air, anyhow, and everybody's shouting for freshair nowadays. They've got somebody to take my place in the house. "

"And father needn't know a thing--you can fix that, " broke in Mrs. Dick. "And after your wedding he will be in a better humor; he'll know it'sover and not up to him any more. "

Miss Patty came back to the shelter-house again and sat down on the soapbox. 

"We MIGHT carry it off, " she said. "If I could only go back to town!But father is in one of his tantrums, and he won't go, or let me go. The idea!--with Aunt Honoria on the long-distance wire every day, havinghysterics, and my clothes waiting to be tried on and everything. I'mdesperate. "

"And all sorts of things being arranged for you!" put in Mrs. Dickenviously. "And the family jewels being reset in Vienna for you and allthat! It would be great--if you only didn't have to take Oskar with thejewels!"

Miss Patty frowned. 

"You are not going to marry him, " she said, with a glance at Mr. Dick, who, with his coat off, was lying flat on the floor, one arm down in thehole where the things had been hidden, trying to hook up a can of bakedbeans. "If it doesn't turn out well, you and father have certainly doneyour part in the way of warning. It's just as Aunt Honoria said; thefamily will make a tremendous row beforehand, but afterward, when it allturns out well, they'll take the credit. "

Mr. Dick was busy with the beans and I was turning the eggs. Mrs. Dickwent over to her sister and put her arm around her. 

"That's right, Patty, " she said, "you're more like mother than I am. I'm a Jennings all over--except that, heavens be praised, I've got theSherwood liver. I guess I'm common plebeian, like dad, too. I'm plebeianenough, anyhow, to think there's been a lot too much about marriagesettlements and the consent of the emperor in all this, and not enoughabout love. "

I could have patted Mrs. Dicky on the back for that, and I almost upsetthe eggs into the fire. I'm an advocate of marrying for love every time, although a title and a bunch of family jewels thrown in wouldn't worryme. 

"Do you want me to protest that the man who has asked me to marry himcares about me?" Miss Patty replied in an angry undertone. "Couldn'the have married a thousand other girls! Hadn't a marriage been arrangedbetween him and the cousin--"

"I know all that, " Mrs. Dicky said, and her voice sounded older thanMiss Patty's, and motherly. "But--are you in love with him, Pat?"

"Certainly, " Miss Patty said indignantly. "Don't be silly, Dolly. "

At that instant Mr. Dick found the beans, and got up shouting that we'dhave a meal fit for a prince--if princes ate anything so every day asbaked beans. I put the eggs on a platter and poured the coffee, and weall sat around the soap box and ate. I wished that Miss Cobb could haveseen me there--how they insisted on my having a second egg, and was mycoffee cold, and wasn't I too close to the fire? It was Minnie here andMinnie there, and me next to Miss Patty on the floor, and she, as youmay say, right next to royalty. I wished it could have been in thespring-house, with father's crayon enlargement looking down on us. 

Everybody felt better for the meal, and we were sitting there laughingand talking and very cheerful when Mr. Van Alstyne opened the door andlooked in. His face was stern, but when he saw us, with Miss Patty onher knees toasting a piece of bread and Mr. Dicky passing the tin basinas a finger-bowl, he stopped scowling and looked amused. 

"They're here, Sallie, " he called to his wife, and they both came in, covered with snow, and we had coffee and eggs all over again. 

Well, they stayed for an hour, and Mr. Sam talked himself black in theface and couldn't get anywhere. For the Dickys refused to be separated, and Mrs. Dick wouldn't tell her father, and Miss Patty wouldn't do itfor her, and the minute Mr. Sam made a suggestion that sounded rationalMrs. Dick would cry and say she didn't care to live, anyhow, and shewished she had died of ptomaine poisoning the time she ate the badoysters at school. 

So finally Mr. Sam gave up and said he washed his hands of the wholeaffair, and that he was going to make another start on his weddingjourney, and if they wanted to be a pair of fools it wasn't up tohim--only for heaven's sake not to cry about it. And then he wipedMrs. Dicky's eyes and kissed her, she being, as he explained, hissister-in-law now and much too pretty for him to scold. 

And when the Dickys found they were not going to be separated we hadmore coffee all around and everybody grew more cheerful. 

Oh, we were very cheerful! I look back now and think how cheerful wewere, and I shudder. It was strange that we hadn't been warned by Mr. Pierce's square jaw, but we were not. We sat around the fire and ate andlaughed, and Mr. Dick arranged that Mr. Pierce should come out to himevery evening for orders about the place if he accepted, and everybodyfelt he would--and I was to come at the same time and bring a basket ofprovisions for the next day. Of course, the instant Mr. Jennings leftthe young couple could go into the sanatorium as guests under anothername and be comfortable. And as soon as the time limit was up, and theplace was still running smoothly, they could declare the truth, claimthe sanatorium, having fulfilled the conditions of the will, and confessto Mr. Jennings--over the long-distance wire. 

Well, it promised well, I must say. Mr. Stitt left on the ten train thatmorning, looking lemon-colored and mottled. He insisted that he wasn'table to go, but Mr. Sam gave him a headache powder and put him on thetrain, anyhow. 

Yes, as I say, it promised well. But we made two mistakes: we didn'tcount on Mr. Thoburn, and we didn't know Mr. Pierce. And who could haveimagined that Mike the bath man would do as he did?

CHAPTER X

ANOTHER COMPLICATION

After luncheon, when everybody at Hope Springs takes a nap, we hadanother meeting at the shelter-house, this time with Mr. Pierce. He hadspent the morning tramping over the hills with a gun and keeping outof the way of people, and what with three square meals, a good night'ssleep and the exercise, he was looking a lot better. Seen in daylight, he had very dark hair and blue-gray eyes and a very square chin, although it had a sort of dimple in it. I used to wonder which won out, the dimple or the chin, but I wasn't long in finding out. 

Well, he looked dazed when I took him to the shelter-house and he sawMr. Dick and Mrs. Dick and the Mr. Sams and Miss Patty. They gave him alawn-mower to sit on, and Mr. Sam explained the situation. 

"I know it's asking a good bit, Mr. Pierce, " he said, "and personallyI can see only one way out of all this. Carter ought to go in and takecharge, and his--er--wife ought to go back to school. But they won'thave it, and--er--there are other reasons. " He glanced at Miss Patty. 

Mr. Pierce also glanced at Miss Patty. He'd been glancing at her atintervals of two seconds ever since she came in, and being a woman andhaving a point to gain, Miss Patty seemed to have forgotten the nightbefore, and was very nice to him. Once she smiled directly at him, andwhatever he was saying died in his throat of the shock. When she turnedher head away he stared at the back of her neck, and when she looked atthe fire he gazed at her profile, and always with that puzzled look, as if he hadn't yet come to believe that she was the newspaper MissJennings. 

After everything had been explained to him, including Mr. Jennings'liver and disposition, she turned to him and said:

"We are in your hands, you see, Mr. Pierce. Are you going to help us?"And when she asked him that, it was plain to me that he was only sorryhe couldn't die helping. 

"If everybody agrees to it, " he said, looking at her, "and you all thinkit's feasible and I can carry it off, I'm perfectly willing to try. "

"Oh, it's feasible, " Mr. Dick said in a relieved voice, getting up andbeginning to strut up and down the room. "It isn't as though I'm beyondcall. You can come out here and consult me if you get stuck. And thenthere's Minnie; she knows a good bit about the old place. "

Mr. Sam looked at me and winked. 

"Of course, " said Mr. Dick, "I expect to retain control, you understandthat, I suppose, Pierce? You can come out every day for instructions. Idare say sanatoriums are hardly your line. "

Mr. Pierce was looking at Miss Patty and she knew it. When a woman looksas unconscious as she did it isn't natural. 

"Eh--oh, well no, hardly, " he said, coming to himself; "I've triedeverything else, I believe. It can't be worse than carrying a bunch ofsweet peas from garden to garden. "

Mr. Dick stopped walking and turned suddenly to stare at Mr. Pierce. 

"Sweet--what?" he said. 

Everybody else was talking, and I was the only one who saw him changecolor. 

"Sweet peas, " said Mr. Pierce. "And that reminds me--I'd like to makeone condition, Mr. Carter. I feel in a measure responsible for thecompany; most of them have gone back to New York, but the leading womanis sick at the hotel in Finleyville. I'd like to bring her here for twoweeks to recuperate. I assure you, I have no interest in her, but I'msorry for her; she's had the mumps. "

"Mumps!" everybody said together, and Mr. Sam looked at hisbrother-in-law. 

"Kid in the play got 'em, and they spread around, " Mr. Pierce explained. "Nasty disease. "

"Why, you've just had them, too, Dicky!" said his wife. They all turnedto look at him, and I must say his expression was curious. 

Luckily, I had the wit to knock over the breakfast basket, which wasstill there, and when we'd gathered up the broken china, Mr. Dick hadgot himself in hand. 

"I'm sorry, old man, " he said to Mr. Pierce, "but I'm not in favor ofbringing Miss--the person you speak of--up to the sanatorium just now. Mumps, you know--very contagious, and all that. "

"She's over that part, " Mr. Pierce said; "she only needs to rest. "

"Certainly--let her come, " said Mrs. Dicky. "If they're as contagious asall that, you haven't been afraid of MY getting them. "

"I--I'm not in favor of it, " Mr. Dick insisted, looking obstinate. "The minute you bring an actress here you've got the whole place by theears. "

"Fiddlesticks!" said his sister. "Because any actress could set YOU bythe ears--"

Mrs. Dick sat up suddenly. 

"Certainly, if she isn't well bring her up, " said Miss Patty. "Only--won't she know your name is not Carter?"

"She's discretion itself, " Mr. Pierce said. "Her salary hasn't beenpaid for a month, and as I'm responsible, I'd be glad to see her lookedafter. "

"I don't want her here. I'll--I'll pay her board at the hotel, " Mr. Dickbegan, "only for heaven's sake, don't--"

He stopped, for every one was staring. 

"Why in the world would you do that?" Miss Patty asked. "Don't beridiculous. That's the only condition Mr. Pierce has made. "

Mr. Dick stalked to the window and looked out, his hands in his pockets. I couldn't help being reminded of the time he had run away from school, when his grandfather found him in the shelter-house and gave him hischoice of going back at once or reading medicine with him. 

"Oh, bring her up! Bring her up!" he said without looking around. "IfPierce won't stay unless he can play the friend in need, all right. Butdon't come after me if the whole blamed sanatorium swells up with mumpsand faints at the sight of a pickle. "

That was Wednesday. 

Things at the sanatorium were about the same on the surface. The womencrocheted and wondered what the next house doctor would be like, and themen gambled at the slot-machines and played billiards and grumbled atthe food and the management, and when they weren't drinking spring waterthey were in the bar washing away the taste of it. They took twentyminutes on the verandas every day for exercise and kept the housetemperature at eighty. Senator Biggs was still fasting and Mrs. Biggstook to spending all day in the spring-house and turning pale every timeshe heard his voice. It was that day, I think, that I found the magazinewith Upton Sinclair's article on fasting stuck fast in a snow-drift, asif it had been thrown violently. 

Wednesday afternoon Miss Julia Summers came with three lap robes, awhite lace veil and a French poodle in a sleigh and went to bed in oneof the best rooms, and that night we started to move out furniture tothe shelter-house. 

By working almost all night we got the shelter-house fairly furnished, although we made a trail through the snow that looked like a feverchart. Toward daylight Mr. Sam dropped a wash-bowl on my toe and I wentto bed with an arnica compress. 

I limped out in time to be on hand before Miss Cobb got there, but whatwith a chilblain on my heel and hardly any sleep for two nights--not tomention my toe--I wasn't any too pleasant. 

"It's my opinion you're overeating, Minnie, " Miss Cobb said. "You'reskin's a sight!"

"You needn't look at it, " I retorted. 

She burned the back of her neck just then and it was three minutesbefore she could speak. When she could she was considerably milder. 

"Just give it a twist or two, Minnie, won't you?" she said, holding outthe curler. "I haven't been able to sleep on the back of my head forthree weeks. "

Well, I curled her hair for her and she told me about Miss Summers beingstill shut in her room, and how she'd offered Mike an extra dollar togive the white poodle a Turkish bath--it being under the weather as tohealth--and how Mike had soaked the little beast for an hour in a tubof water, forgetting the sulphur, and it had come out a sort of mustardcolor, and how Miss Summers had had hysterics when she saw it. 

"Mike dipped him in bluing to bleach him again, or rather 'her'--it'sname is Arabella--" Miss Cobb said, "but all it did was to make itmottled like an Easter egg. Everybody is charmed. There were no dogsallowed while the old doctor lived. Things were different. "

"Yes, things were different, " I assented, limping over to heat thecurler. "How--how does Mr. Carter get along?"

Miss Cobb put down her hand-mirror and sniffed. 

"Well, " she said, "goodness knows I'm no trouble maker, but somebodyought to tell that young man a few things. He's forever looking atthe thermometer and opening windows. I declare, if I hadn't brought mywoolen tights along I'd have frozen to death at breakfast. Everybody'scomplaining. "

I put that away in my mind to speak about. It was only by nailing thewindows shut and putting strips of cotton batting around the cracks thatwe'd ever been able to keep people there in the winter. I had my firstmisgiving then. Heaven knows I didn't realize what it was going to be. 

Well, by the evening of that day things were going fairly well. Tilliebrought out a basket every morning to me at the spring-house, fairly bursting with curiosity, and Mr. Sam got some canned stuff inFinleyville and took it after dark to the shelter-house. But after thesecond day Mrs. Dicky got tired holding a frying-pan over the fire and Ihad to carry out at least one hot meal a day. 

They got their own breakfast in a chafing-dish, or rather he got it andcarried it to her. And she'd sit on the edge of her cot, with her feeton the soap box--the floor was drafty--wrapped in a pink satin negligeewith bands of brown fur on it, looking sweet and perfectly happy, andlet him feed her boiled egg with a spoon. I took them some books--myGray's Anatomy, and Jane Eyre and Molly Bawn, by The Duchess, and thenewspapers, of course. They were full of talk about the wedding, and thesuite the prince was bringing over with him, and every now and then anotice would say that Miss Dorothy Jennings, the bride's young sister, who was still in school and was not coming out until next year, would beher sister's maid of honor. And when they came to that, they would hugeach other--or me, if I happened to be close--and act like a pair ofchildren, which they were. Generally it would end up by his askingher if she wasn't sorry she wasn't back at Greenwich studying Frenchconjugations and having a dance without any men on Friday nights, andshe would say "Wretch!" and kiss him, and I'd go out and slam the door. 

But there was something on Mr. Dick's mind. I hadn't known him forfourteen years for nothing. And the night Mr. Sam and I carried out thecanned salmon and corn and tomatoes he walked back with me to the edgeof the deer park, Mr. Sam having gone ahead. 

"Now, " I said, when we were out of ear-shot, "spit it out. I've beenexpecting it. "

"Listen, Minnie, " he answered, "is Ju--is Miss Summers still confined toher room?"

"No, " I replied coldly. "Ju--Miss Summers was down to-night to dinner. "

"Then she's seen Pierce, " he said, "and he's told her the whole storyand by to-morrow--"

"What?" I demanded, clutching his arm. "You wretched boy, don't tell meafter all I've done. "

"Oh, confound it, Minnie, " he exclaimed, "it's as much your fault asmine. Couldn't you have found somebody else, instead of getting, of allthings on earth, somebody from the Sweet Peas Company?"

"I see, " I said slowly. "Then it WASN'T coincidence about the mumps!"

"Confounded kid had them, " he said with bitterness. "Minnie, something's got to be done, and done soon. If you want the plain truth, Miss--er--Summers and I used to be friends--and--well, she's suingme for breach of promise. Now for heaven's sake, Minnie, don't make afuss--"

But my knees wouldn't hold me. I dropped down in a snow-drift andcovered my face. 

CHAPTER XI

MISS PATTY'S PRINCE

I dragged myself back to the spring-house and dropped in front of thefire. What with worry and no sleep and now this new complication I wasdead as yesterday's newspaper. I sat there on the floor with my handsaround my knees, thinking what to do next, and as I sat there, thecrayon enlargement of father on the spring-house wall began to shake itshead from side to side, and then I saw it hold out its hand and point afinger at me. 

"Cut and run, Minnie, " it said. "Get out from under! Go and buy Timmon'scandy store before the smash--the smash--!"

When I opened my eyes Mr. Pierce was sitting on the other side of thechimney and staring at the fire. He had a pipe between his teeth, buthe wasn't smoking, and he had something of the same look about his mouthhe'd had the first day I saw him. 

"Well?" he said, when he saw I was awake. 

"I guess I was sleeping. " I sat up and pushed in my hairpins and yawned. I was tireder than ever. "I'm clean worn out. "

"Of course you're tired, " he declared angrily. "You're not a horse, andyou haven't been to bed for two nights. "

"Care killed the cat, " I said. "I don't mind losing sleep, but it's likewalking in a swamp, Mr. Pierce. First I put a toe in--that was when Iasked you to stay over night. Then I went a step farther, lured on, asyou may say, by Miss Patty waving a crown or whatever it is she wants, just beyond my nose. And to-night I've got a--well, to-night I'm in tothe neck and yelling for a quick death. "

He leaned over to where I sat before the fire and twisted my head towardhim. 

"To-night--what?" he demanded. 

But that minute I made up my mind not to tell him. He might think thesituation was too much for him and leave, or he might decide he ought totell Miss Summers where Dick was. There was no love lost between him andMr. Carter. 

"To-night--I'm just tired and cranky, " I said, "so--is Miss Summerssettled yet?"

He nodded, as if he wasn't thinking of Miss Summers. 

"What did you tell her?"

"Haven't seen her, " he said. "Sent her a note that I was understudying aman named Carter and to mind to pick up her cues. "

"It's a common enough name, " I said, but he had lighted his pipe againand had dropped forward, one elbow on his knee, his hand holding thebowl of his pipe, and staring into the fire. He looked up when I closedand locked the pantry door. 

"I've just been thinking, " he remarked, "here we are--a group ofpeople--all struggling like mad for one thing, but with differentmotives. Mine are plain enough and mercenary enough, although a certainred-haired girl with a fine loyalty to an old doctor and a sanatoriumis carrying me along with her enthusiasm. And Van Alstyne's motivesare clear enough--and selfish. Carter is merely trying to save his ownskin--but a girl like Miss Pat--Miss Jennings!"

"There's nothing uncertain about what she wants, or wrong either, " Iretorted. "She's right enough. The family can't stand a scandal just nowwith her wedding so close. "

He smiled and got up, emptying his pipe. 

"Nevertheless, oh, Minnie, of the glowing hair and heart, " he said, "Miss Jennings has disappointed me. You see, I believe in marrying forlove. "

"Love!" I was disgusted. "Don't talk to me about love! Love is the sortof thing that makes two silly idiots run away and get married and livein a shelter-house, upsetting everybody's plans, while their bettershave to worry themselves sick and carry them victuals. "

He got up and began to walk up and down the spring-house, scowling atthe floor. 

"Of course, " he agreed, "he may be a decent sort, and she may reallywant him. "

"Of course she does!" I said. He stopped short. "I've been wanting aset of red puffs for three years, and I can hardly walk past Mrs. Yost'swindow down in the village. They've got some that match my hair and Ifairly yearn for them. But if I got 'em I dare say I'd put them in a boxand go after wanting something else. It's the same way with Miss Patty. She'll get her prince, and because it isn't real love, but only the sameas me with the puffs, she'll go after wanting something else. Only shecan't put him away in a box. She'll have to put him on and wear him forbetter, for worse. "

"Lord help her!" he said solemnly, and went over to the window and stoodthere looking out. 

I went over beside him. From the window we could see the three rows ofyellow lights that marked the house, and somebody with a lantern wasgoing down the path toward the stables. Mr. Pierce leaned forward, hishands at the top of the window-sash, and put his forehead against theglass. 

"Why is it that a lighted window in a snow-storm always makes a fellowhomesick?" he said in his half-mocking way. "If he hasn't got a home itmakes him want one. "

"Well, why don't you get one?" I asked. 

"On nothing a year?" he said. "Not even prospects! And set uphousekeeping in the shelter-house with my good friend Minnie carryingus food and wearing herself to a shadow, not to mention bringing trashybooks to my bride. "

"She isn't that kind, " I broke in, and got red. I'd been thinking ofMiss Patty. But he went over to the table and picked up his glass ofspring water, only to set it down untasted. 

"No, she's not that kind!" he agreed, and never noticed the slip. 

"You know, Minnie, women aren't all alike, but they're not alldifferent. An English writer has them classified to a T--there's themother woman--that's you. You're always mothering somebody with thatmaternal spirit of yours. It's a pity it's vicarious. "

I didn't say anything, not knowing just what he meant. But I've lookedit up since and I guess he was about right. 

"And there's the mistress woman--Mrs. Dicky, for example, or--" he sawMiss Cobb's curler on the mantel and picked it up--"or even Miss Cobb, "he said. "Coquetry and selfishness without maternal instinct. Howmuch of Miss Cobb's virtue is training and environment, Minnie, not tomention lack of temptation, and how much was born in her?"

"She's a preacher's daughter, " I remarked. I could understand about Mrs. Dicky, but I thought he was wrong about Miss Cobb. 

"Exactly, " he said. "And the third kind of woman is the mistress-motherkind, and they're the salt of the earth, Minnie. " He began to walk upand down by the spring with his hands in his pockets and a far-away lookin his eyes. "The man who marries that kind of woman is headed straightfor paradise. "

"That's the way!" I snapped. "You men have women divided into classesand catalogued like horses on sale. "

"Aren't they on sale?" he demanded, stopping. "Isn't it money, orliberty, or--or a title, usually?" I knew he was thinking of Miss Pattyagain. 

"As for the men, " I continued, "I guess you can class the married onesin two classes, providers and non-providers. They're all selfish andthey haven't enough virtue to make a fuss about. "

"I'd be a shining light in the non-provider class, " he said, and pickingup his old cap he opened the door. Miss Patty herself was coming up thepath. 

She was flushed from the cold air and from hurrying, and I don't knowthat I ever saw her look prettier. When she came into the light we couldboth see that she was dressed for dinner. Her fur coat was open atthe neck, and she had only a lace scarf over her head. (She wasa disbeliever in colds, anyhow, and all winter long she slept with thewindows open and the steam-heat off!)

"I'm so glad you're still here, Minnie!" she exclaimed, breathing fast. "You haven't taken the dinner out to the shelter-house yet, have you?"

"Not yet, " I replied. "Tillie hasn't brought the basket. The chef's beenfussing about the stuff we're using in the diet kitchen the last fewdays, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's shut off all extras. "

But I guess her sister and Mr. Dick could have starved to death justthen without her noticing. She was all excitement, for all she's mostlyso cool. 

"I have a note here for my sister, " she said, getting it out of herpocket. "I know we all impose on you, Minnie, but--will you take it forme? I'd go, but I'm in slippers, and, anyhow, I'd need a lantern, andthat would be reckless, wouldn't it?"

"In slippers!" Mr. Pierce interrupted. "It's only five degrees abovezero! Of all the foolhardy--!"

Miss Patty did not seem to hear him. She gave the letter to me andfollowed me out on the step. 

"You're a saint, Minnie, " she said, leaning over and squeezing my arm, "and because you're going back and forth in the cold so much, I want youto have this--to keep. "

She stooped and picked up from the snow beside the steps something softand furry and threw it around my neck, and the next instant I knewshe was giving me her chinchilla set, muff and all. I was so pleased Icried, and all the way over to the shelter-house I sniveled and dancedwith joy at the same time. There's nothing like chinchilla to tone downred hair. 

Well, I took the note out to the shelter-house, and rapped. Mr. Dick letme in, and it struck me he wasn't as cheerful as usual. He reached outand took the muff. 

"Oh, " he said, "I thought that was the supper. "

"It's coming, " I said, looking past him for Mrs. Dicky. Usually whenI went there she was drawing Mr. Dick's profile on a bit of paper orteaching him how to manicure his nails, but that night she was lying onthe cot and she didn't look up. 

"Sleeping?" I asked in a whisper. 

"Grumping!" Mr. Dick answered. He went over and stood looking down ather with his hands in his pockets and his hair ruffled as if he'd beenrunning his fingers through it. She never moved a shoulder. 

"Dorothy, " he said. "Here's Minnie. "

She pretended not to hear. 

"Dorothy!" he repeated. "I wish you wouldn't be such a g--Confound it, Dolly, be reasonable. Do you want to make me look like a fool?"

She turned her face enough to uncover one eye. 

"It wouldn't be difficult, " she answered, staring at him with the oneeye. It was red from crying. 

"Now listen, Dolly. " He got down on one knee beside the cot and tried totake her hand, but she jerked it away. "I've tried wearing my hair thatway, and it--it isn't becoming, to say the least. I don't mind having itwet and brushed back in a pompadour, if you insist, but I certainly dobalk at the ribbon. "

"You've only got to wear the ribbon an hour or so, until it dries. " Shebrought her hand forward an inch or so and he took it and kissed it. Itshould have been slapped. 

"I'll tell you what I'll do, " he said. "You can fix it any way youplease, when it's too late for old Sam or Pierce to drop in, and I'llwear the confounded ribbon all night. Won't that do?"

But she had seen the note and sat up and held out her hand for it. Shewas wearing one of Miss Patty's dresses and it hung on her--not thatMiss Patty was large, but she had a beautiful figure, and Mrs. Dicky, ofcourse, was still growing and not properly filled out. 

"Dick!" she said suddenly, "what do you think? Oskar is here! Pat's inthe wildest excitement. He's in town, and Aunt Honoria has telephonedto know what to do! Listen: he is incog. , of course, and registered asOskar von Inwald. He did an awfully clever thing--came in through Canadawhile the papers thought he was in St. Moritz. "

"For heaven's sake, " replied Mr. Dick, "tell her not to ask him here. Ishouldn't know how to talk to him. "

"He speaks lovely English, " declared Mrs. Dick, still reading. 

"I know all that, " he said, walking around nervously, "but if he's goingto be my brother-in-law, I suppose I don't get down on my knees andknock my head on the floor. What do I say to him? Your Highness? Oh, I've known a lord or two, but that's different. You call them anythingyou like and lend them money. "

"I dare say you can with Oskar, too. " Mrs. Dicky put the note down andsighed. "Well, he's coming. Pat says dad won't go back to town untilhe's had twenty-one baths, and he's only had eleven and she's got tostay with him. And you needn't worry about what to call Oskar. He's notto know we're here. "

I was worried on my way back to the spring-house--not that the princewould make much difference, as far as I could see things being about asbad as they could be. But some of the people were talking of leaving, and since we had to have a prince it seemed a pity he wasn't comingwith all his retinue and titles. It would have been a good ten thousanddollars' worth of advertising for the place, and goodness knows weneeded it. 

When I got back to the spring-house Miss Patty and Mr. Pierce were stillthere. He was in front of the fire, with his back to it, and she wasnear the door. 

"Of course it isn't my affair, " he was saying. "You are perfectly--"Then I opened the door and he stopped. I went on into the pantry to takeoff my overshoes, and as I closed the door he continued. "I didn't meanto say what I have. I meant to explain about the other night--I had aright to do that. But you forced the issue. "

"I was compelled to tell you he was coming, " she said angrily. "I feltI should. You have been good enough to take Mr. Carter's place here andsave me from an embarrassing situation--"

"I had no philanthropic motives, " he insisted stubbornly. "I did it, as you must know, for three meals a day and a roof over my head. If youwish me to be entirely frank, I disapprove of the whole thing. "

I heard the swish of her dress as she left the door and went toward him. 

"What would you have had me do?" she asked. 

"Take those two children to your father. What if there was a row?Why should there be such a lot made of it, anyhow? They're young, butthey'll get older. It isn't a crime for two people to--er--love eachother, is it? And if you think a scandal or two in your family--grantingyour father would make a scandal--is going to put another patch on theragged reputations of the royal family of--"

"How dare you!" she cried furiously. "How DARE you!"

I heard her cross the room and fling the door open and a second later itslammed. When I came out of the pantry Mr. Pierce was sitting in his oldposition, elbow on knee, holding his pipe and staring at the bowl. 

CHAPTER XII

WE GET A DOCTOR

I had my hands full the next day. We'd had another snow-storm duringthe night and the trains were blocked again. About ten o'clock we gota telegram from the new doctor we'd been expecting, that he'd fallenon the ice on his way to the train and broken his arm, and at eleven adelegation from the guests waited on Mr. Pierce and told him they'd haveto have a house physician at once. 

Senator Biggs was the spokesman. He said that, personally, he couldn'tremain another day without one; that he should be under a physician'scare every moment of his fast, and that if no doctor came that dayhe'd be in favor of all the guests showing their displeasure by leavingtogether. 

"Either that, " Thoburn said from the edge of the crowd, "or call it ahotel at once and be done with it. A sanatorium without a doctor is likean omelet without eggs!"

"Hamlet without ham, " somebody said. 

"We're doing the best we can, " Mr. Pierce explained. "We--we expect adoctor to-day. "

"When?" from Mr. Jennings, who had come on a cane and was watching Mr. Pierce like a hawk. 

"This afternoon, probably. As there is no one here very ill--"

But at that they almost fell on him and tore him to pieces. I had tostep in front of him myself and say we'd have somebody there by twoo'clock if we had to rob a hospital to get him. And Mr. Sam cried, "Three cheers for Minnie, the beautiful spring-house girl!" and led off. 

There's no doubt about it--a man ought to be born to the sanatoriumbusiness. A real strong and healthy man has no business trying to runa health resort, and I saw Mr. Pierce wasn't making the hit that I'dexpected him to. 

He was too healthy. You only needed to look at him to know that he tooka cold plunge every morning, and liked to walk ten miles a day, andcould digest anything and go to sleep the minute his head touched thepillow. And he had no tact. When Mrs. Biggs went to him and explainedthat the vacuum cleaner must not be used in her room--that it exhaustedthe air or something, and she could hardly breathe after it--he onlylooked bewildered and then drew a diagram to show her it was impossiblethat it could exhaust the air. The old doctor knew how: he'd haveordered an oxygen tank opened in the room after the cleaner was used andshe'd have gone away happy. 

Of course Mr. Pierce was most polite. He'd listen to theircomplaints--and they were always complaining, that's part of theregime--with a puzzled face, trying to understand, but he couldn't. He hadn't a nerve in his body. Once, when one of the dining-room girlsdropped a tray of dishes and half the women went to bed with headachefrom the nervous shock, he never even looked up, but went on with hisdinner, and the only comment he made afterward was to tell the headwaitress to see that Annie didn't have to pay breakage--that thetrays were too heavy for a woman, anyhow. As Miss Cobb said, he wasimpossible. 

Well, as if I didn't have my hands full with getting meals to theshelter-house, and trying to find a house doctor, and wondering how longit would be before "Julia" came face to face with Dick Carter somewhereor other, and trying to keep one eye on Thoburn while I kept Mr. Piercestraight with the other--that day, during luncheon, Mike the bath mancame out to the spring-house and made a howl about his wages. He'd beenlooking surly for two days. 

"What about your wages?" I snapped. "Aren't you getting what you'vealways had?"

"No tips!" he said sulkily. "Only a few taking baths--only one daily, and that's that man Jennings. There's no use talking, Miss Minnie, I'vegot to have a double percentage on that man or you'll have to muzzlehim. He--he's dangerous. "

"If I give you the double percentage, will you stay?"

"I don't know but that I'd rather have the muzzle, Miss Minnie, " heanswered slowly, "but--I'll stay. It won't be for long. "

Which left me thinking. I'd seen Thoburn talking to Mike more than oncelately, and he'd been going around with an air of assurance that didn'tmake me any too cheerful. Evenings, when I'd relieved Amanda King at thenews stand, I'd seen Thoburn examining the woodwork of the windows, andonly the night before, happening on the veranda unexpectedly, I foundMike and him measuring it with a tape line. As I say, Mike's visit leftme thinking. 

The usual crowd came out that afternoon and drank water and sat aroundthe fire and complained--all except Senator Biggs, who happened in justas I was pouring melted butter over a dish of hot salted pop-corn. He stood just inside the door, sniffling, with his eyes fixed on thebutter, and then groaned and went out. 

He looked terrible--his clothes hung on him like bags; as the bishopsaid, it was ghastly to see a convexity change to such a concavity inthree days. 

Mr. Moody won three dollars that day from the slot-machine and wasalmost civil to his wife, but old Jennings sat with his foot on a stooland yelled if anybody slammed the door. Mrs. Hutchins brought him outwith her eyes red and asked me if she could leave him there. 

"I'm sorry if I was rude to you the other night, Minnie, " she said, "butI was upset. I'm so worn-out that I'll have to lie down for an hour, andif he doesn't get better soon, I--I shall have to have help. My nervesare gone. "

At four o'clock Mr. Sam came in, and he had Mr. Thoburn tight by thearm. 

"My dear old chap, " he was saying, "it would be as much as your life'sworth. That ground is full of holes and just now covered with snow--!"

He caught my eye, and wiped his forehead. 

"Heaven help us!" he said, coming over to the spring, "I found himmaking for the shelter-house, armed with a foot rule! Somebody's got totake him in hand--I tell you, the man's a menace!"

"What about the doctor?" I asked, reaching up his glass. 

"Be here to-night, " he answered, "on the--"

But at that minute a boy brought a telegram down and handed it to him. The new doctor was laid up with influenza!

We sat there after the others had gone, and Mr. Sam said he was forgiving up the fight, only to come out now with the truth would mean sucha lot of explaining and a good many people would likely find it funny. Mr. Pierce came in later and we gave him the telegram to read. 

"I don't see why on earth they need a doctor, anyhow, " he said, "they'renot sick. If they'd take a little exercise and get some air in theirlungs--"

"My dear fellow, " Mr. Sam cried in despair, "some people are bornin sanatoriums, some acquire them, and others have them thrust uponthem--I've had this place thrust upon me. I don't know why they want adoctor, but they do. They balked at Rodgers from the village. They wantsomebody here at night. Mr. Jennings has the gout and there's the deuceto pay. Some of them talk of leaving. "

"Let 'em leave, " said Mr. Pierce. "If they'd go home and drink threegallons of any kind of pure water a day--"

"Sh! That's heresy here! My dear fellow, we've got to keep them. "

Mr. Pierce glanced at the telegram and handed it back. 

"Lot's of starving M. D. 's would jump at the chance, " he said, "but ifit's as urgent as all this we can't wait to hunt. I'll tell you, VanAlstyne, there's a chap down in the village he was the character manwith the Sweet Peas Company--and he's stranded there. I saw him thismorning. He's washing dishes in the depot restaurant for his meals. We used to call him Doc, and I've a hazy idea that he's a graduate M. D. --name's Barnes. "

"Great!" cried Mr. Van Alstyne. "Let's have Barnes. You get him, willyou, Pierce?"

Mr. Pierce promised and they started out together. At the door Mr. Samturned. 

"Oh, by the way, Minnie, " he called, "better gild one of your chairs andput a red cushion on it. The prince has arrived. "

Well, I thought it all out that afternoon as I washed the glasses, andit was terrible. I had two people in the shelter-house to feed and lookafter like babies, with Tillie getting more curious every day aboutthe basket she brought, and not to be held much longer; and I had a manrunning the sanatorium and running it to the devil as fast as it couldgo. Not that he wasn't a nice young man, big, strong-jawed and all that, but you can't make a diplomat out of an ordinary man in three days, andit takes more diplomacy to run a sanatorium a week than it does to besecretary of state for four years. Then I had a prince incognito, andThoburn stirring up mischief, and the servants threatening to strike, and no house doctor--

Just as I got to that somebody opened the door behind me and looked in. I glanced around, and it was a man with the reddest hair I ever saw. Mine was pale by comparison. He was rather short and heavy-set, and hehad a pleasant face, although not handsome, his nose being slightly bentto the left. But at first all I could see was his hair. 

"Good evening, " he said, edging himself in. "Are you Miss Waters?"

"Yes, " I said, rising and getting a glass ready, "although I'm notcalled that often, except by people who want to pun on my name and mybusiness. " I looked at him sharply, but he hadn't intended any pun. 

He took off his hat and came over to the spring where I was filling hisglass. 

"If that's for me, you needn't bother, " he said. "If it tastes as itsmells, I'm not thirsty. My name's Barnes, and I was to wait here forMr. Van Alstyne. "

"Barnes!" I repeated. "Then you're the doctor. "

He grinned, and stood turning his hat around in his hands. 

"Not exactly, " he said. "I graduated in medicine a good many years ago, but after a year of it, wearing out more seats of trousers waitingfor patients than I earned enough to pay for, and having to have newtrousers, I took to other things. "

"Oh, yes, " I said. "You're an actor now. "

He looked thoughtful. 

"Some people think I'm not, " he answered, "but I'm on the stage. Graduated there from prize-fighting. Prize-fighting, the stage, and thenwriting for magazines--that's the usual progression. Sometimes, as asort of denouement before the final curtain, we have dinner at the WhiteHouse. "

I took a liking to the man at once. It was a relief to have somebodywho was willing to tell all about himself and wasn't incognito, or inhiding, or under somebody else's name. I put a fresh log on the fire, and as it blazed up I saw him looking at me. 

"Ye gods and little fishes!" he said. "Another redhead! Why, we're asalike as two carrots off the same bunch!"

In five minutes I knew how old he was, and where he was raised, and thatwhat he wanted more than anything on earth was a little farmhouse withchickens and a cow. 

"Where you can have air, you know, " he said, waving his hands, whichwere covered with reddish hair. "Lord, in the city I starve for air! Andwhere, when you're getting soft you can go out and tackle the wood-pile. That's living!"

And then he wanted to know what he was to do at the sanatorium andI told him as well as I could. I didn't tell him everything, but Iexplained why Mr. Pierce was calling himself Carter, and about the twoin the shelter-house. I had to. He knew as well as I did that three daysbefore Mr. Pierce had had nothing to his name but a folding automobileroad map or whatever it was. 

"Good for old Pierce!" he said when I finished. "He's a prince, MissWaters. If you'd seen him sending those girls back to town--well, I'lldo all I can to help him. But I'm not much of a doctor. It's safe toacknowledge it; you'll find it out soon enough. "

Mr. And Mrs. Van Alstyne came in just then, and Mr. Sam told him whathe was expected to do. It wasn't much: he was to tell them at whattemperatures to take their baths, "and Minnie will help you out withthat, " he added, and what they were to eat and were not to eat. "Minniewill tell you that, too, " he finished, and Mr. Barnes, DOCTOR Barnes, came over and shook my hand. 

"I'm perfectly willing to be first assistant, " he declared. "We'll putour heads together and the result will be--"

"Combustion!" said Mr. Sam, and we all laughed. 

"Remember, " Mr. Sam instructed him, as Doctor Barnes started out, "whenyou don't know what to prescribe, order a Turkish bath. The baths are toa sanatorium what the bar is to a club--they pay the bills. "

Well, we got it all fixed and Doctor Barnes started out, but at the doorhe stopped. 

"I say, " he asked in an undertone, "the stork doesn't light around here, does he?"

"Not if they see him first!" I replied grimly, and he went out. 

CHAPTER XIII

THE PRINCE--PRINCIPALLY

It was all well enough for me to say--as I had to to Tillie many atime--that it was ridiculous to make a fuss over a person for what, after all, was an accident of birth. It was well enough for me to saythat it was only by chance that I wasn't strutting about with a crown onmy head and a man blowing a trumpet to let folks know I was coming, andby the same token and the same chance Prince Oskar might have been ared-haired spring-house girl, breaking the steels in her figure stoopingover to ladle mineral water out of a hole in the earth. 

Nevertheless, at five o'clock, after every one had gone, when I saw MissPatty, muffled in furs, tripping out through the snow, with a tall thinman beside her, walking very straight and taking one step to her four, Ifelt as though somebody had hit me at the end of my breast-bone. 

They stopped a minute outside before they came in, and I had to takemyself in hand. 

"Now look here, Minnie, you idiot, " I said to myself, "this is America;you're as good as he is; not a bend of the knee or a stoop of the neck. And if he calls you 'my good girl' hit him. "

They came in together, laughing and talking, and, to be honest, if Ihadn't caught the back of a chair, I'd have had one foot back of theother and been making a courtesy in spite of myself. 

"We're late, Minnie!" Miss Patty said. "Oskar, this is one of my bestfriends, and you are to be very nice to her. "

He had one of those single glass things in his eye and he gave me a goodstare through it. Seen close he was handsomer than Mr. Pierce, but helooked older than his picture. 

"Ask her if she won't be nice to me, " he said in as good English asmine, and held out his hand. 

"Any of Miss Patty's friends--" I began, with a lump in my throat, andgave his hand a good squeeze. I thought he looked startled, and suddenlyI had a sort of chill. 

"Good gracious!" I exclaimed, "should I have kissed it?"

They roared at that, and Miss Patty had to sit down in a chair. 

"You see, she knows, Oskar, " she said. "The rest are thinking andperhaps guessing, but Minnie is the only one that knows, and she nevertalks. Everybody who comes here tells Minnie his troubles. "

"But--am I a trouble?" he asked in a low tone. I was down in the spring, but I heard it. 

"So far you have hardly been an unalloyed joy, " she replied, and fromthe spring I echoed "Amen. "

"Yes--I'm so hung with family skeletons that I clatter when I walk, " Iexplained, pretending I hadn't heard, and brought them both glasses ofwater. "It's got to be a habit with some people to save their sciaticaand their husband's dispositions and their torpid livers and theirunpaid bills and bring 'em here to me. "

He sniffed at the glass and put it down. 

"Herr Gott!" he said, "what a water! It is--the whole thing isextraordinary! I can understand the reason for Carlsbad or Wiesbaden--itis gay. One sees one's friends; it is--social. But here--!"

He got up and, lifting a window curtain, peered out into the snow. 

"Here, " he repeated, "shut in by forests and hills, a thousand milesfrom life--" He shrugged his shoulders and came back to the table. "Itis well enough for the father, " he went on to Miss Patty, "but for you!Why--it is depressing, gray. The only bit of color in it all is--here, in what you call the spring-house. " I thought he meant Miss Patty'scheeks or her lovely violet eyes, but he was looking at my hair. I hadcaught his eye on it before, but this time he made no secret about it, and he sighed, for all the world as if it reminded him of something. He went over to the slot-machine and stood in front of it, humming andtrying the different combinations. I must say he had a nice back. 

Miss Patty came over and slipped her hand in mine. 

"Well?" she whispered, looking at me with her pretty eyebrows raised. 

"He looks all right, " I had to confess. "Perhaps you can coax him toshave. "

She laughed. 

"Oskar!" she called, "you have passed, but you are conditioned. Minnieobjects to the mustache. "

He turned and looked at me gravely. 

"It is my--greatest attraction, " he declared, "but it is also a greatcare. If Miss Minnie demands it, I shall give it to her in a--in alittle box. " He sauntered over and looked at me in his audacious way. "But you must promise to care for it. Many women have loved it. "

"I believe that!" I answered, and stared back at him without blinking. "I guess I wouldn't want the responsibility. "

But I had an idea that he meant what he said about the many women, andthat Miss Patty knew it as well as I did. She flushed a little, andthey went very soon after that. I stood and watched them until theydisappeared in the snow, and I felt lonelier than ever, and sad, although certainly he was better than I had expected to find him. He wasa man, and not a little cub with a body hardly big enough to carry hisforefathers' weaknesses. But he had a cold eye and a warm mouth, and that sort of man is generally a social success and a matrimonialfailure. 

It wasn't until toward night that I remembered I'd been talking to areal prince and I hadn't once said "your Highness" or "your Excellency"or whatever I should have said. I had said "You!"

I had hardly closed the door after them when it opened again and Mr. Pierce came in. He shut the door and, going over to one of the tables, put a package down on it. 

"Here's the stuff you wanted for the spring, Minnie, " he announced. "Isuppose I can't do anything more than register a protest against it?"

"You needn't bother doing that, " I answered, "unless it makes you feelbetter. Your authority ends at that door. Inside the spring-house I'm incontrol. "

(It's hard to believe, with things as they are, that I once reallybelieved that. But I did. It was three full days later that I learnedthat I'd been mistaken!)

Well, he sat there and looked at nothing while I heated water in mybrass kettle over the fire and dissolved the things against Thoburn'squick eye the next day, and he didn't say anything. He had a gift forkeeping quiet, Mr. Pierce had. It got on my nerves after a while. 

"Things are doing better, " I remarked, stirring up my mixture. 

"Yes, " he said, without moving. 

"I suppose they're happier now they have a doctor?"

"Yes--no--I don't know. He's not much of a doctor, you know--and theredon't seem to be any medical books around. "

"There's one on the care and feeding of infants in the circulatinglibrary, " I said, "and he can have my Anatomy. "

"You're generous!" he remarked, with one of his quick smiles. 

"It's a book, " I snapped, and fell to stirring again. But he was mopingonce more, with his feet out and his hands behind his head, staring atthe ceiling. 

"I say, Minnie--"

"Yes?"

"Miss--Miss Jennings and the von Inwald were here just now, weren'tthey? I passed them on the bridge. "

"Yes. "

"What--how do you like him?"

"Better than I expected and not so well as I might, " I said. "If you aregoing to the house soon you might take Miss Patty her handkerchief. It'sthere under that table. "

I took my mixture into the pantry and left it to cool. But as I startedback I stopped. He had got the handkerchief and was standing in front ofthe fire, holding it in the palm of his hand and looking at it. And allin a minute he crushed it to his face with both hands and against thefirelight I could see him quivering. 

I stepped back into the pantry and came out again noisily. Hewas standing very calm and quiet where he had been before, and nohandkerchief in sight. 

"Well, " I said, "did you get it?"

"Get what?"

"Miss Patty's handkerchief?"

"Oh--that! Yes. Here it is. " He pulled it out of his pocket and held itup by the corner. 

"Ridiculous size, isn't it, and--" he held it up to his nose--"I daresay one could almost tell it was hers by the scent. It's--it's likeher. "

"Humph!" I said, suddenly suspicious, and looked at it. "Well, " I said, "it may remind you of Miss Patty, and the scent may be like Miss Patty, but she doesn't use perfume on her handkerchief. This has an E. C. Onit, which means Eliza Cobb. "

He left soon after, rather crestfallen, but to save my life I couldn'tforget what I'd seen--him with that scrap of linen that he thought washers crushed to his face, and his shoulders heaving. I had an idea thathe hadn't cared much for women before, and that, this being a firstattack, he hadn't established what the old doctor used to call animmunity. 

CHAPTER XIV

PIERCE DISAPPROVES

Mrs. Hutchins came out to the spring-house the next morning. She wasdressed in a black silk with real lace collar and cuffs, and she was sopuffed up with pride that she forgot to be nasty to me. 

"I thought I'd better come to you, Minnie, " she said. "There seems to benobody in authority here any more. Mr. Carter has put the--has put Mr. Von Inwald in the north wing. I can not imagine why he should have givenhim the coldest and most disagreeable part of the house. "

I said I'd speak to Mr. Carter and try to have him moved, and sherustled over to where I was brushing the hearth and stooped down. 

"Mr. Von Inwald is incognito, of course, " she said, "but he belongs to avery old family in his own country--a noble family. He ought to have thebest there is in the house. "

I promised that, too, and she went away, but I made up my mind to talkto Mr. Pierce. The sanatorium business isn't one where you can put yourown likes and dislikes against the comfort of the guests. 

Miss Cobb came out a few minutes after; she had on her new green silkwith the white lace trimming. She saw me staring as she threw off hercape and put her curler on the log. 

"It's a little dressy for so early, of course, Minnie, " she said, "butI wish you'd see some of the other women! Breakfast looked like anafternoon reception. What would you think of pinning this black velvetribbon around my head?"

"It might have done twenty years ago, Miss Cobb, " I answered, "but Iwouldn't advise it now. " I was working at the slot-machine, and I heardher sniff behind me as she hung up her mirror on the window-frame. 

She tried the curler on the curtain, which she knows I object to, butshe was too full of her subject to be sulky for long. 

"I wish you could see Blanche Moody!" she began again, standing holdingthe curler, with a thin wreath of smoke making a halo over her head. "Drawn in--my dear, I don't see how she can breathe! I guess there's nodoubt about Mr. Von Inwald. "

"I'd like to know who put this beer check in the slot-machineyesterday, " I said as indifferently as I could. "What about Mr. VonInwald?"

She tiptoed over to me, the halo trailing after her. 

"About his being a messenger from the prince to Miss Jennings!" sheanswered in a whisper. "He spent last night closeted with papa, andthe chambermaid on that floor told Lily Biggs that there was almost aquarrel. "

"That doesn't mean anything, " I objected. "If the Angel Gabriel was shutin with Mr. Jennings for ten minutes he'd be blowing his trumpet forhelp. "

Miss Cobb shrugged her shoulders and took hold of a fresh wisp of hairwith the curler. 

"I dare say, " she assented, "but the Angel Gabriel wouldn't havewaited to breakfast with Miss Jennings, and have kissed her hand beforeeverybody at the foot of the stairs!"

"Is he handsome?" I asked, curious to know how he would impress otherwomen. But Miss Cobb had never seen a man she would call ugly. 

"Handsome!" she said. "My dear, he's beautiful! He has a duel scar onhis left cheek--all the nobility have them over there. I've a cousinliving in Berlin--she's the wittiest person--and she says the Germanchild of the future will be born with a scarred left cheek!"

Well, I was sick enough of hearing of Mr. Von Inwald before the day wasover. All morning in the spring-house they talked Mr. Von Inwald. Theypretended to play cards, but they were really playing European royalty. Every time somebody laid down a queen, he'd say, "Is the queen stillliving, or didn't she die a few years ago?" And when they played theknave, they'd start off about the prince again. They'd all decided thatMr. Von Inwald was noble--somebody said that the "von" was a sort oftitle. The women were planning to make the evenings more cheerful, too. They couldn't have a dance with the men using canes or forbidden toexercise, but Miss Cobb had a lot of what she called "parlor games" thatshe wanted to try out. "Introducing the Jones family" was one of them. 

In the afternoon Mr. Von Inwald came out to the spring-house and sataround, very affable and friendly, drinking the water. He and the bishopgrew quite chummy. Miss Patty was not there, but about four o'clock Mr. Pierce came out. He did not sit down, but wandered around the room, nottalking to anybody, but staring, whenever he could, at the prince. OnceI caught Mr. Von Inwald's eyes fixed on him, as if he might have seenhim before. After a while Mr. Pierce sat down in a corner like a sulkychild and filled his pipe, and as nobody noticed him except to complainabout the pipe, which he didn't even hear, he sat there for a half-hour, bent forward, with his pipe clenched in his teeth, and never took hiseyes off Mr. Von Inwald's face. 

Senator Biggs was the one who really caused the trouble. He spent a gooddeal of time in the spring-house trying to fool his stomach by keepingit filled up all the time with water. He had got past the cranky stage, being too weak for it; his face was folded up in wrinkles like anaccordion and his double chin was so flabby you could have tucked itaway inside his collar. 

"What do you think of American women, Mr. Von Inwald?" he asked, andeverybody stopped playing cards and listened for the answer. As Mr. Von Inwald represented the prince, wouldn't he be likely to voice theprince's opinion of American women?

It's my belief Mr. Von Inwald was going to say something nice. Hesmiled as if he meant to, but just then he saw Mr. Pierce in his cornersneering behind his pipe. They looked at each other steadily, and nobodycould mistake the hate in Mr. Pierce's face or his sneer. After a minutethe prince looked away and shrugged his shoulders, but he didn't makehis pretty speech. 

"American women!" he said, turning his glass of spring water aroundon the table before him, "they are very lovely, of course. " He lookedaround and there were Mrs. Moody and Mrs. Biggs and Miss Cobb, and heeven glanced at me in the spring. Then he looked again at Mr. Pierce andkept his eyes there. "But they are spoiled, fearfully spoiled. They ruletheir parents and they expect to rule their husbands. In Europe we dothings better; we are not--what is the English?--hag-ridden?"

There was a sort of murmur among the men, but the women all nodded as ifthey thought Europe was entirely right. They'd have agreed with him ifhe'd advocated sixteen wives sitting cross-legged on a mat, like theTurks. Mr. Pierce was still staring at the prince. 

"What I don't quite understand, Mr. Von Inwald, " the bishop put in inhis nice way, "is your custom of expecting a girl to bring her husbanda certain definite sum of money and to place it under the husband'scontrol. Our wealthy American girls control their own money, " He wasthinking of Miss Patty, and everybody knew it. 

The prince turned red and glared at the bishop. Then I think heremembered that they didn't know who he was, and he smiled and startedto turning the glass again. 

"Pardon!" he said. "Is it not better? What do women know of money? Theythrow it away on trifles, dress, jewels--American women are extravagant. It is one result of their--of their spoiling. "

Mr. Pierce got up and emptied his pipe into the fire. Then he turned. 

"I'm afraid you have not known the best type of American women, " hesaid, looking hard at the prince. "Our representative women are ourmiddle-class women. They do not contract European alliances, not havingsufficient money to attract the attention of the nobility, or enough tobuy titles, as they do pearls, for the purpose of adornment. "

Mr. Von Inwald got up, and his face was red. Mr. Pierce was white andsneering. 

"Also, " he went on, "when they marry they wish to control their ownmoney, and not see it spent in--ways with which you are doubtlessfamiliar. "

We were all paralyzed. Nobody moved. Mr. Pierce put his pipe in hispocket and stalked out, slamming the door. Then Mr. Von Inwald shruggedhis shoulders and laughed. 

"I see I shall have to talk to our young friend, " he said and pickedup his glass. "I'm afraid I've given a wrong impression. I like theAmerican women very much; too well, " he went on with a flash of histeeth, looking around the room, and brought the glass to the spring forme to fill. But as I've said before, I can tell a good bit about a manfrom the way he gives me his glass, and he was in a perfect frenzy ofrage. When I reached it back to him he gripped it until his nails werewhite. 

My joint ached all the rest of the afternoon. About five o'clock Mr. Thoburn stopped in long enough to say: "What's this I hear about Cartermaking an ass of himself to-day?"

"I haven't heard it, " I answered. "What is it?"

But he only laughed and turned up his collar to go. 

"Jove, Minnie, " he said, "why do women of your spirit always championthe losing side? Be a good girl; give me a hand now and then with thisthing, and I'll see you don't lose by it. "

"We're not going to lose, " I retorted angrily. "Nobody has left yet. Weare still ahead on the books. "

He came over and shook a finger in my face. 

"Nobody has left--and why? Because they're all taking a series of baths. Wait until they've had their fifteen, or twenty-one, or whatever thecure is, and then see them run!"

It was true enough; I knew it. 

CHAPTER XV

THE PRINCE, WITH APOLOGIES

Tillie brought the supper basket for the shelter-house about six o'clockand sat down for a minute by the fire. She said Mr. Pierce (Carter toher) had started out with a gun about five o'clock. It was foolish, butit made me uneasy. 

"They've gone plumb crazy over that Mr. Von Inwald, " she declared. "Itmakes me tired. How do they know he's anything but what he says he is?He may be a messenger from the emperor of Austria, and he may be sellingflannel chest protectors. Miss Cobb's all set up; she's talking aboutgetting up an entertainment and asking that Miss Summers to recite. "

She got up, leaving the basket on the hearth. 

"And say, " she said, "you ought to see that dog now. It's been soakin'in peroxide all day!"

She went out with the peroxide, but a moment later she opened the doorand stuck her head in, nodding toward the basket. 

"Say, " she said, "the chef's getting fussy about the stuff I'm using inthe diet kitchen. You've got to cut it out soon, Minnie. If I was youI'd let him starve. "

"What!" I screeched, and grasped the rail of the spring. 

"Let him starve!" she repeated. 

"Wha--what are you talking about?" I demanded when I got my voice. 

She winked at me from the doorway. 

"Oh, I'm on all right, Minnie!" she assured me, "although heaven onlyknows where he puts it all! He's sagged in like a chair with brokensprings. "

I saw then that she thought I was feeding Senator Biggs on the sly, andI breathed again. But my nerves were nearly gone, and when just then Iheard a shot from the direction of the deer park, even Tillie noticedhow pale I got. 

"I don't know what's come over you, Minnie, " she said. "That's only Mr. Carter shooting rabbits. I saw him go out as I started down the path. "

I was still nervous when I put on my shawl and picked up the basket. But there was a puddle on the floor and the soup had spilled. Therewas nothing for it but to go back for more soup, and I got it from thekitchen without the chef seeing me. When I opened the spring-house dooragain Mr. Pierce was by the fire, and in front of him, where I'd leftthe basket, lay a dead rabbit. He was sitting there with his chin in hishands looking at the poor thing, and there was no basket in sight. 

"Well, " I asked, "did you change my basket into a dead rabbit?"

"Basket!" he said, looking up. "What basket?"

I looked everywhere, but the basket was gone, and after a while Idecided that Mr. Dick had had an attack of thoughtfulness (or hunger)and had carried it out himself. 

And all the time I looked for the basket Mr. Pierce sat with the gunacross his knees and stared at the rabbit. 

"I'd thank you to take that messy thing out of here, " I told him. 

"Poor little chap!" he exclaimed. "He was playing in the snow, andI killed him--not because I wanted food or sport, Minnie, but--well, because I had to kill something. "

"I hope you don't have those attacks often, " I said. He looked at therabbit and sighed. 

"Never in my life!" he answered. "For food or sport, that's different, but--blood-lust!" He got up and put the gun in the corner, and I saw helooked white and miserable. 

"I don't like myself to-night, Minnie, " he said, trying to smile, "andnobody likes me. I'm going into the garden to eat worms!"

I didn't like to scold him when he was feeling bad anyhow, but businessis business. So I asked him how long he thought people would stay if heacted as he had that day. I said that a sanatorium was a place wherethe man who runs it can't afford to have likes and dislikes; that for mypart I'd a good deal rather he'd get rid of his excitement by shootingoff a gun, provided he pointed it away from the house, than to sitaround and let his mind explode and kill all our prospects. I told him, too, to remember that he wasn't responsible for the morals or actions ofhis guests, only for their health. 

"Health!" he echoed, and kicked a chair. "Health! Why, if I wanted tokeep a good dog in condition, Minnie, I wouldn't bring him here. "

"No, " I retorted, "you'd shut him in an old out oven, and give him ashoe to chew, and he'd come out in three days frisking and happy. Butyou can't do that with people. "

"Why not?" he asked. "Although, of course, the supply of out ovens andold shoes is limited here. "

"As far as Mr. Von Inwald goes, " I went on, "that's not your affair ormine. If Miss Patty's own father can't prevent it, why should you worryabout it?"

"Precisely, " he agreed. "Why should I? But I do, Minnie--that's thedevil of it. "

"There are plenty of nice girls, " I suggested, feeling rather sorry forhim. 

"Are there? Oh, I dare say. " He stooped and picked up his rabbit. "Straight through the head; not so bad for twilight. Poor little chap!"

He said good night and went out, taking the gun and the rabbit with him, and I went into the pantry to finish straightening things for the night. In a few minutes I heard voices in the other room, one Mr. Pierce's, andone with a strong German accent. 

"When was that?" Mr. Von Inwald's voice. 

"A year ago, in Vienna. "

"Where?"

"At the Bal Tabarin. You were in a loge. The man I was with told me whothe woman was. It was she, I think, who suggested that you lean over therail--"

"Ah, so!" said Mr. Von Inwald as if he just remembered. "Ah, yes, Irecall--I was with--the lady was red-haired, is it not? And it was shewho desired me--"

"You leaned over the rail and poured a glass of wine on my head. It wasvery funny. The lady was charmed. "

"I recall it perfectly. I remember that I did it under protest--it was avery fine wine, and expensive. "

"Then you also recall, " said Mr. Pierce, very quietly, "that becauseyou were with a--well, because you were with a woman, I could not returnyour compliment. But I demanded the privilege at some future date whenyou were alone. "

"It is a pity, " replied Mr. Von Inwald, "that now, when I am alone, there is no wine!"

"No, there is no wine, " Mr. Pierce agreed slowly, "but there is--"

I opened the door at that, and both of them started. Mr. Von Inwald wasstanding with his arms folded, and Mr. Pierce had one arm raised holdingup a glass of spring water. In another second it would have been in theother man's face. 

I walked over to Mr. Pierce and took the glass out of his hand, and hisexpression was funny to see. 

"I've been looking everywhere for that glass, " I said. "It's got to bewashed. "

Mr. Von Inwald laughed and picked up his soft hat from the table. 

He turned around at the door and looked back at Mr. Pierce, stilllaughing. 

"Accept my apologies!" he said. "It was such a fine wine, and soexpensive. "

Then he went out. 

CHAPTER XVI

STOP, THIEF!

I was pretty nervous when I took charge of the news stand that evening. Amanda King had an appointment with the dentist and had left everythingtopsyturvey. I was still straightening up when people began to come downto dinner. 

Miss Cobb walked over to the news stand, and she'd cut the white yokeout of her purple silk. She looked very dressy, although somewhat thin. 

"Everybody has dressed for dinner to-night, Minnie, " she informed me. "We didn't want Mr. Von Inwald to have a wrong idea of American society, especially after Mr. Carter's ridiculous conduct this afternoon, andI wonder if you'll be sweet enough to start the phonograph in theorchestra gallery as we go in--something with dignity, you know--thewedding march, or the overture from Aida. "

"Aida's cracked, " I said shortly, "and as far as I'm concerned, Mr. Von Inwald can walk in to his meals without music, or starve to deathwaiting for the band. "

But she got the phonograph, anyhow, and put the elevator boy in thegallery with it. She picked out some things by Caruso and Tetrazziniand piled them on a chair, but James had things to himself up there, andplayed The Spring Chicken through three times during dinner, with MissCobb glaring at the gallery until the back of her neck ached, and thedining-room girls waltzing in with the dishes and polka-ing out. 

Mr. Moody came out when dinner was over in a fearful rage and made forthe news stand. 

"One of your ideas, I suppose, " he asserted. "What sort of a night amI going to have after chewing my food to rag-time, with my jaws doing askirt-dance? Why in heaven's name couldn't you have had something slow, like Handel's Largo, if you've got to have music?"

But dinner was over fifteen minutes sooner than usual. James cake-walkedeverybody out to My Ann Elizer, and Miss Cobb was mortified to death. 

Two or three things happened that night. For one, I got a good look atMiss Julia Summers. She was light-haired and well-fleshed, with an uglyface but a pleasant smile. She wore a low-necked dress that made MissCobb's with the yoke out look like a storm collar, and if she had abroken heart she didn't show it. 

"Hello, " she cried, looking at my hair, "are you selling tobacco here orare you the cigar-lighter?"

"Neither, " I answered, looking over her head. "I am employed as theextinguisher of gay guests. "

"Good, " she said, smiling. "I'm something fine at that myself. SupposeI stay here and help. If I watch that line of knitting women I'll becrotcheting Arabella's wool in my sleep to-night. "

Well, she was too cheerful to be angry with. So she stayed around for awhile, and it was amazing how much tobacco I sold that evening. Men whousually bought tobies bought the best cigars, and when Mr. Jennings cameup, scowling, and I handed him the brand he'd smoked for years, she tookone, clipped the end of it as neat as a finger nail and gave it to him, holding up the lighter. 

"I'm not going to smoke yet, young woman, " he said, glaring at her. Butshe only smiled. 

"I'm sorry, " she said. "I've been waiting hungrily until somediscriminating smoker would buy one of those and light it. I love thearoma. "

And he stood there for thirty minutes, standing mostly on one foot onaccount of the gouty one, puffing like a locomotive, with her sniffingat the aroma and telling him how lonely she felt with no friends aroundand just recovering from a severe illness. 

At eight o'clock he had Mrs. Hutchins bring him his fur-lined coat andhe and Miss Julia took Arabella, the dog, for a walk on the veranda!

The rest of the evening was quiet, and I needed it. Miss Patty and Mr. Von Inwald talked by the fire and I think he told her something--notall--of the scene in the spring-house. For she passed Mr. Pierce at thefoot of the stairs on her way up for the night and she pretended not tosee him. He stood there looking up after her with his mouth set, and atthe turn she glanced down and caught his eye. I thought she flushed, but I wasn't sure, and at that minute Senator Biggs bought threetwenty-five-cent cigars and told me to keep the change from a dollar. I was so surprised at the alteration in him that I forgot Miss Pattyentirely. 

About twelve o'clock, just after I went to my room, somebody knocked atthe door. When I opened, the new doctor was standing in the hall. 

"I'm sorry to disturb you, " he said, "but nobody seems to know where thepharmacy clerk is and I'll have to get some medicine. "

"If I'd had my way, we'd have had a bell on that pharmacy clerk longago, " I snapped, getting my keys. "Who's sick?"

"The big man, " he replied. "Biggs is his name, I think, a senator orsomething. "

I was leading the way to the stairs, but I stopped. "I might have knownit, " I said. "He hasn't been natural all evening. What's the matter withhim? Too much fast?"

"Fast!" He laughed. "Too much feast! He's got as pretty a case ofindigestion as I've seen for some time. He's giving a demonstrationthat's almost theatrical. "

Well, he insisted it was indigestion, although I argued that it wasn'tpossible, and he wanted ipecac. 

"I haven't seen a pharmacopoeia for so long that I wouldn't know one ifI met it, " he declared, "but I've got a system of mnemonics that neverfails. Ipecac and colic both end with 'c'--I'll never forget thatconjunction. It was pounded in and poured in in my early youth. "

Well, the pharmacy was locked, and we couldn't find a key to fit it. Andwhen I suggested mustard and warm water he jumped at the idea. 

"Fine!" he said. "Better let me dish out the spring-water and you takemy job! Lead on, MacDuff, to the kitchen. "

Although it was only midnight there was not a soul about. A hall leadsback of the office to the kitchen and pantries, and there was a lowlight there, but the rest was dark. We bumped through the diet kitchenand into the scullery, when we found we had no matches. I went back forsome, and when I got as far as the diet kitchen again Doctor Barnes wasthere, just inside the door. 

"Sh!" he whispered. "Come into the scullery. The kitchen is dark, butthere is somebody in there, fumbling around, striking matches. I supposeyou don't have such things as burglars in this neck of the woods?"

Well, somebody had broken into Timmons' candy store a week before andstolen a box of chewing-gum and a hundred post-cards, and I told him soin a whisper. 

"Anyhow, it isn't the chef, " I said. "He's had a row with the bath manand is in bed with a cut hand and a black eye, and nobody else has anybusiness here. "

We tiptoed into the scullery in the dark: just then somebody knockeda kettle down in the kitchen and it hit the stove below with a crash. Whoever was there swore, and it was not Francois, who expresses hisfeelings mostly in French. This was English. 

There's a little window from the kitchen into the scullery as well asa door. The window had a wooden slide and it was open an inch or so. Wecouldn't see anything, but we could hear a man moving around. Once hestruck a match, but it went out and he said "Damn!" again, and began tofeel his way toward the scullery. 

Doctor Barnes happened to touch my hand and he patted it as if to tellme not to be frightened. Then he crept toward the scullery door andwaited there. 

It swung open slowly, but he waited until it closed again and the manwas in the room. Then he yelled and jumped and there was the sound ofa fall. I could hardly strike the match--I was trembling so--but when Idid there was Mr. Dick lying flat on the floor and the doctor sitting onhim. 

"Mister Dick!" I gasped, and dropped the match. 

"Something hit me!" Mr. Dick said feebly, and when I had got a candlelighted and had explained to Doctor Barnes that it was a mistake, hegot off him and let him up. He was as bewildered as Mr. Dick and prettynearly as mad. 

We put him--Mr. Dick--in a chair and gave him a glass of water, andafter he had got his breath--the doctor being a heavy man--he said hewas trying to find something to eat. 

"Confound it, Minnie, " he exclaimed, "we're starving! It seems to methere are enough of you here at least to see that we are fed. Not a bitesince lunch!"

"But I thought you had the basket, " I explained. "I left it at thespring-house, and when I went back it was gone. "

"So that was it!" he answered. And then he explained that just about thetime they expected their supper they saw a man carry a basket stealthilythrough the snow to the deer park. It was twilight, but they watched himfrom the window, and he put the basket through the barbed-wire fence andthen crawled after it. Just inside he sat down on a log and, openingthe basket, began to eat. He was still there when it got too dark to seehim. 

"If that was our dinner, " he finished savagely, "I hope he choked todeath over it. "

Doctor Barnes chuckled. "He didn't, " he said, "but he's got the worstcase of indigestion in seven counties. "

Well, I got the mustard and water ready with Mr. Dick standing by hopingMr. Biggs would die before he got it, and then I filled a basket for theshelter-house. I put out the light and he took the basket and startedout, but he came back in a hurry. 

"There's somebody outside talking, " he said. I went to the door with himand listened. 

"The sooner the better, " Mike was saying. "I'm no good while I've got iton my mind. "

And Mr. Thoburn: "To-morrow is too soon: they're not in the mood yet. Perhaps the day after. I'll let you know. "

I didn't get to sleep until almost morning, and then it was to dreamthat Mr. Pierce was shouting "Hypocrites" to all the people in thesanatorium and threatening to throw glasses of mustard and warm water atthem. 

CHAPTER XVII

A BUNCH OF LETTERS

When people went down to breakfast the next morning they found a cardhanging on the office door with a half dozen new rules on it, and whenI went out to the spring-house the guests were having an indignationmeeting in the sun parlor, with the bishop in the chair, and SenatorBiggs, so wobbly he could hardly stand, making a speech. 

I tried to see Mr. Pierce, but early as it was he had gone for awalk, taking Arabella with him. So I called a conference at theshelter-house--Miss Patty, Mr. And Mrs. Van Alstyne, Mr. And Mrs. Dick, and myself. Mrs. Dick wasn't dressed, but she sat up on the edge of hercot in her dressing-gown, with her feet on the soap box, and yawned. Aswe didn't have enough chairs, Miss Patty jerked the soap box away andmade me sit down. Mr. Dick was getting breakfast. 

We were in a tight place and we knew it. 

"He is making it as hard for us as he can, " Mrs. Sam declared. "The ideaof having the card-room lights put out at midnight, and the breakfastroom closed at ten! Nobody gets up at that hour. "

"He was to come here every evening for orders, " said Mr. Dick, measuringground coffee with a tablespoon, as I had showed him. "He came justonce, and as for orders--well, he gave 'em to me!"

But Miss Patty was always fair. 

"I loathe him, " she asserted. "I want to quarrel with him the minute Isee him. He--he is presumptuous to the point of impertinence--but he'shonest: he thinks we're all hypocrites--those that are well and thosethat are sick or think they are--and he hates hypocrisy. "

Everybody talked at once, then, and she listened. 

"Very well, " she said. "I'll amend it. We're not all hypocrites. Mymotives in all this are perfectly clear--and selfish. "

"You and old Pierce would make a fine team, Pat, " Mrs. Dick remarkedwith a yawn. "I like hypocrites myself. They're so comfy. But if you'renot above advice, Pat, you'll have Aunt Honoria break her neck orsomething--anything to get father back to town. Something is going toexplode, and Oskar doesn't like to be agitated. "

She curled up on the cot with that and went sound asleep. The rest of ushad coffee and talked, but there wasn't anything to do. As Mr. Sam said, Mr. Pierce didn't want to stay, anyhow, and as likely as not if we wentto him in a body and told him he must come to the shelter-house forinstructions, and be suave and gentle when he was called down by theguests about the steam-pipes making a racket, he'd probably prefer to godown to the village and take Doctor Barnes' place washing dishes at thestation. That wouldn't call for any particular mildness. 

But he settled it by appearing himself. He came across the snow from thedirection of Mount Hope, and he had a pair of skees over his shoulder. (At that time I didn't even know the name of the things, but I learnedenough about them later. ) I must say he looked very well beside Mr. Dick, who wasn't very large, anyhow, and who hadn't had time to put onhis collar, and Mr. Sam, who's always thin and sallow and never takes astep he doesn't have to. 

I let him in, and when he saw us all there he started and hesitated. 

"Come in, Pierce, " Mr. Sam said. "We've just been talking about you. "

He came in, but he didn't look very comfortable. 

"What have you decided to do with me?" he asked. "Put me underrestraint?"

He was unbuttoning his sweater, and now he took out two of the smallestrabbits I ever saw and held them up by the ears. Miss Patty gave alittle cry and took them, cuddling them in her lap. 

"They're starving and almost frozen, poor little devils, " he said. "Ifound them near where I shot the mother last night, Minnie, and by wayof atonement I'm going to adopt them. "

Well, although the minute before they'd all been wishing they'd neverseen him, they pretty nearly ate him up. Miss Patty held the rabbits, sowe all had turns at feeding them warm milk with a teaspoon and pattingtheir pink noses. When it came Mr. Pierce's turn they were about fullup, so he curled his big body on the floor at Miss Patty's feet andtalked to the rabbits and looked at her. He had one of those facesthat's got every emotion marked on it as clear as a barometer--when hewas mad his face was mad all over, and when he was pleased he glowed tothe tips of his ears. And he was pleased that morning. 

But, of course, he had to be set right about the sanatorium, and Mr. Sambegan it. Mr. Pierce listened, sitting on the floor and looking puzzledand more and more unhappy. Finally he got up and drew a long breath. 

"Exactly, " he agreed. "I know you are all right and I'm wrong--accordingto your way of thinking. But if these people want to be well, why shouldI encourage them to do the wrong thing? They eat too much, they don'texercise"--he turned to Mr. Van Alstyne. 

"Why, do you know, I asked a half dozen of the men--one after theother--to go skeeing with me this morning and not one of them accepted!"

"Really!" Mr. Sam exclaimed mockingly. 

"What can you do with people like that?" Mr. Pierce went on. "They don'twant to be well; they're all hypocrites. Look at that man Biggs! I'lllay you ten to one that after fasting five days and then stealing awhole chicken, a dozen oysters and Lord knows what else, now that he'ssick, he'll hold it against me. "

"He's not holding anything, " I objected. 

"Because HE is a hypocrite--" Mr. Sam began. 

"That's not the point, Pierce, " Mr. Dick broke in importantly. "You wereto come here for orders and you haven't done it. You're running thisplace for me, not for yourself. "

Mr. Pierce looked at Mr. Dick and from there to Mr. Sam and smiled. 

"I did come, " he explained. "I came twice, and each time we playedroulette. I lost all the money I'd had in advance. Honestly, " heconfessed, "I felt I couldn't afford to come every day. "

Miss Patty got up and put the baby rabbits into her sister's big furmuff. 

"We are all talking around the question, " she said. "Mr. Pierceundertook to manage the sanatorium, and to try to manage itsuccessfully. He can not do that without making some attempt atconciliating the people. It's--it's absurd to antagonize them. "

"Exactly, " he said coldly. "I was to manage it, and to try to do itsuccessfully. I'm sorry my methods don't meet with the approval ofthis--er--executive committee. But it might as well be clear that Iintend to use my own methods--or none. "

Well, what could we do? Miss Patty went out with her head up, and therest of us stayed and ate humble pie, and after a while he agreed tostay if he wasn't interfered with. He said he and Doctor Barnes had aplan that he thought was a winner--that it would either make or breakthe place, and he thought it would make it. And by that time we were someek that we didn't even ask what it was. 

Doctor Barnes and Miss Summers were the first to come to the mineralspring that morning. She stopped just inside the door and sniffed. 

"Something's dead under the floor, " she said. 

"If there's anything dead, " Doctor Barnes replied, "it's in the centerof the earth. That's the sulphur water. "

She came in at that, but unwillingly, and sat down with her handkerchiefto her nose. Then she saw me. 

"Good gracious!" she exclaimed. "What have you done that they put youhere?"

"If you mean the bouquet from the spring, you get to like it after awhile, " I said grimly. "Ordinary air hasn't got any snap for me now. "

"Humph!" She looked at me suspiciously, but I was busy wiping off thetables. "Well, " she said, holding up the glass Doctor Barnes had broughther, "it doesn't cost me anything, so here goes. But think of payingmoney for it!"

She drank it down in a gulp and settled herself in her chair. 

"What'll it do to me?" she asked. "Mixed drinks always play the deucewith me, Barnes, and you know it. "

"If you'll cut down your diet and take some exercise it will make youthin, " I began. "'The process is painless and certain: kindly nature inher benevolent plan--'"

"Give me another!" she interrupted, and Doctor Barnes filled her glassagain. "Some women spell fate f-a-t-e, " she said, looking at the water, "but I spell it without the e. "

She took half of it and then put down the glass. "Honestly, " shedeclared, "I'd rather be fat. "

Mr. Pierce met them there a few minutes later and they had athree-cornered chat. But Miss Summers evidently didn't know just howmuch I knew and was careful of what she said. Once, however, when I wasin the pantry she thought I was beyond ear-shot. 

"Good heavens, Pierce, " she said, "if they could put THAT in a play!"

"Cut it out, Julia, " Doctor Barnes snapped, and it wasn't until they hadgone that I knew she'd meant me. I looked through the crack of the doorand she was leaning over taking a puff at Doctor Barnes' cigarette. 

"Curious old world, isn't it?" she said between puffs. "Here we are thethree of us--snug and nice, having seven kinds of hell-fire water andnot having to pay for it; three meals a day and afternoon tea ditto, good beds and steam-heat ditto--and four days ago where were we? Pierce, you were hocking your clothes! Doc, you--"

"Washing dishes!" he said. "I never knew before how extravagant it is tohave a saucer under a cup!"

"And I!" she went on, "I, Julia Summers, was staring at a ceiling in theFinleyville hotel, with a face that looked like a toy balloon. "

"And now, " said Doctor Barnes, "you are more beautiful than ever. I am asuccessful physician--oh, lord, Julia, if you'd hear me faking lines inmy part! And my young friend here--Pierce--Julia, Pierce has now becomea young reprobate named Dicky Carter, and may the Lord have mercy on hissoul!"

I tried to get out in time, but I was too late. I saw her rise, saw theglass of water at her elbow roll over and smash on the floor, and sawher clutch wildly at Mr. Pierce's shoulder. 

"Not--not DICKY Carter!" she cried. 

"Richard--they call him Dick, " Mr. Pierce said uneasily, and loosenedher fingers from his coat. 

Oh, well, everybody knows it now--how she called Mr. Dick everything inthe calendar, and then began to cry and said nobody would ever know whatshe'd been through with, and the very dress she had on was a part ofthe trousseau she'd had made, and what with the dressmaker's bills--

Suddenly she stopped crying. 

"Where is he, anyhow?" she demanded. 

"All we are sure of, " Mr. Pierce replied quietly, "is that he is not inthe sanatorium. "

She looked at us all closely, but she got nothing from my face. 

"Oh, very well, " she said, shrugging her shoulders, "I'll wait until heshows up. It doesn't cost anything. "

Then, with one of her easy changes, she laughed and picked up her muffto go. 

"Minnie and I, " she said, "will tend bar here, and in our leisuremoments we will pour sulphur water on a bunch of Dicky's letters that Ihave, to cool 'em. " She walked to the door and turned around, smiling. 

"Carry fire insurance on 'em all the time, " she finished and went out, leaving us staring at one another!

CHAPTER XVIII

MISS COBB'S BURGLAR

I went to bed early that night. What with worrying and being alternatelychilled by tramping through the snow and roasted as if I was sitting ona volcano with an eruption due, I was about all in. We'd been obliged totell Mrs. Sam about the Summers woman, and I had to put hot flannels onher from nine to ten. She was quieter when I left her, but, as I toldMr. Sam, it was the stillness of despair, not resignation. 

I guess it was about four o'clock in the morning when a hand slid overmy face, and I sat up and yelled. The hand covered my mouth at that, and something long and white and very thin beside the bed said: "Sh! Forheaven's sake, Minnie!"

It was Miss Cobb! It was lucky I came to my senses when I did, forher knees gave way under her just then and she doubled up on the floorbeside the bed with her face in my comfort. 

I lighted a candle and set it on a chair beside the bed and took a goodlook at her. She was shaking all over, which wasn't strange, for I sleepwith my window open, and she had a key in her hand. 

"Here, " she gasped, holding out the key, "here, Minnie, wake the houseand get him, but, oh, Minnie, for heaven's sake, save my reputation!"

"Get who?" I demanded, for I saw it was her room key. 

"I have been coming here for ten years, " she groaned, out of thecomfort, "and now, to be bandied about by the cold breath of scandal!"

I shook her by the shoulder

"The cold breath you are raving about is four degrees below zero. If youcan't tell me what's the matter I'm going back to bed and cover myfeet. "

She got up at that and stood swaying, with her nightgown flapping aroundher like a tent. 

"I have locked a man in my room!" she declared in a terrible voice, andcollapsed into the middle of the bed. 

Well, I leaned over and tried to tell her she'd made a mistake. The moreI looked at her, with her hair standing straight out over her head, andher cambric nightgown with a high collar and long sleeves, and the humpon her nose where her brother Willie had hit her in childhood with abaseball bat, the surer I was that somebody had made a mistake--likelythe man. 

Now there's two ways to handle a situation like that: one of them is torouse the house--and many a good sanatorium has been hurt by a scandaland killed by a divorce; the other way is to take one strong man who canhold his tongue, find the guilty person, and send him a fake telegramthe next morning that his mother is sick. I've done that more than once. 

I sat down on the side of the bed and put on my slippers. 

"What did he look like?" I asked. "Could you see him?"

She uncovered one eye. 

"Not--not distinctly, " she said. "I--think he was large, and--and ratherhandsome. That beast of a dog must have got in my room and was asleepunder the bed, for it wakened me by snarling. "

There was nothing in that to make me nervous, but it did. As I put on mykimono I was thinking pretty hard. 

I could not waken Mr. Pierce by knocking, so I went in and shook him. He was sound asleep, with his arms over his head, and when I caught hisshoulder he just took my hand and, turning over, tucked it under hischeek and went asleep again. 

"Mr. Pierce! Mr. Pierce!" He wakened a little at that, but not enoughto open his eyes. He seemed to know that the hand wasn't his, however, for he kissed it. And with that I slapped him and he wakened. He laythere blinking at my candle and then he yawned. 

"Musht have been ashleep!" he said, and turned over on his other sideand shut his eyes. 

It was two or three minutes at least before I had him sitting on theside of the bed, with a blanket spread over his knees, and was tellinghim about Miss Cobb. 

"Miss Cobb!" he said. "Oh, heavens, Minnie, tell her to go back to bed!"He yawned. "If there's anybody there it's a mistake. I'm sleepy. Whattime is it?"

"I'm not going out of this room until you get up!" I declared grimly. 

"Oh, very well!" he said, and put his feet back into bed. "If you thinkI'm going to get up while you're here--"

After he seemed pretty well wakened I went out. I waited in thesitting-room and I heard him growling as he put on his clothes. When hecame out, however, he was more cheerful, and he stopped in the hall tofish a case out of Mr. Sam's dressing-gown pocket and light a cigarette. 

"Now!" he said, taking my arm. "Forward, the light-ly clad brigade!But--" he stopped--"Minnie, we are unarmed! Shall I get the patentfolding corkscrew?"

He had to be quiet when we got to the bedroom floors, however, and whenwe stopped outside Miss Cobb's door he was as sober as any one couldwish him. 

"You needn't come in, " he whispered. "Ten to one she dreamed it, but ifshe didn't you're better outside. And whatever you hear, don't yell. "

I gave him the key and he fitted it quietly in the lock. Arabella, justinside, must have heard, for she snarled. But the snarl turned into ayelp, as if she'd been suddenly kicked. 

Mr. Pierce, with his hand on the knob, turned and looked at me in thecandle-light. Then he opened the door. 

Arabella gave another yelp and rushed out; she went between my feetlike a shot and almost overthrew me, and when I'd got my balance again Ilooked into the room. Mr. Pierce was at the window, staring out, and theroom was empty. 

"The idiot!" Mr. Pierce said. "If it hadn't been for that snowbank!Here, give me that candle!"

He stood there waving it in circles, but there was neither sight norsound from below. After a minute Mr. Pierce put the window down and westared at the room. All the bureau drawers were out on the floor, andthe lid of poor Miss Cobb's trunk was open and the tray upset. But hersilver-backed brush was still on the bureau and the ring the insuranceagent had given her lay beside it. 

We brought her back to her room, and she didn't know whether to be happythat she was vindicated or mad at the state her things were in. I tuckedher up in bed after she'd gone over her belongings and Mr. Pierce haddouble-locked the window and gone out. She drew my head down to her andher eyes were fairly popping out of her head. 

"I feel as though I'm going crazy, Minnie!" she whispered, "but the onlythings that are gone are my letters from Mr. Jones, and--my black woolentights!"

CHAPTER XIX

NO MARRIAGE IN HEAVEN

I slept late the next morning, and when I'd had breakfast and waded tothe spring-house it was nearly nine. It was still snowing, and no papersor mail had got through, although the wires were still in fair workingorder. 

As I floundered out I thought I saw somebody slink around the corner ofthe spring-house, but when I got there nobody was in sight. I was on myknees in front of the fireplace, raking out the fire, when I heard thedoor close behind me, and when I turned, there stood Mr. Dick, muffledto the neck, with his hat almost over his face. 

"What the deuce kept you so late this morning?" he demanded, in a sulkyvoice, and limping over to a table he drew a package out of his pocketand slammed it on the table. 

"I was up half the night, as usual, " I said, rising. "You oughtn't to behere, Mr. Dick!"

He caught hold of the rail around the spring, and hobbling about, dropped into a chair with a groan. 

"For two cents, " he declared, "I'd chop a hole in the ice pond and drownmyself. There's no marriage in Heaven. "

"That's no argument for the other place, " I answered, and stopped, staring. He was pulling something out of his overcoat pocket, an inch ata time. 

"For God's sake, Minnie, " he exclaimed, "return this--this garmentto--whomever it belongs to!"

He handed it to me, and it was Miss Cobb's black tights! I stood andstared. 

"And then, " he went on, reaching for the package on the table, "whenyou've done that, return to 'Binkie' these letters from her Jonesie. "

He took the newspaper off the bundle then, and I saw it was wrapped witha lavender ribbon. I sat down and gazed at him, fascinated. He was thesaddest-eyed piece of remorse I'd seen for a long time. 

"And when you've got your breath back, Minnie, " he said feebly, "andyour strength, would you mind taking the floor mop and hitting me afew cracks? Only not on the right leg, Minnie--not on the right leg. Ilanded on it last night; it's twisted like a pretzel. "

"Don't stand and stare, " he continued irritably, when I didn't makea move, "at least get that--that infernal black garment out of sight. Cover it with the newspaper. And if you don't believe that a sweet-facedyoung girl like my wife has a positive talent for wickedness andsuspicion, go out to the shelter-house this morning. "

"So it was you!" I gasped, putting the newspaper over the tights. 

"Why in the name of peace did you jump out the window, and what did youwant with--with these things?"

He twisted around in his chair to stare at me, and then stooped andclutched frantically at his leg, as if for inspiration. 

"Want with those things!" he snarled. "I suppose you can't understandthat a man might wake up in the middle of the night with a mad cravingfor a pair of black woolen tights, and--"

"You needn't be sarcastic with me, " I broke in. "You can save that foryour wife. I suppose you also had a wild longing for the love-letters ofan insurance agent--"

And then it dawned on me, and I sat down and laughed until I cried. 

"And you thought you were stealing your own letters!" I cried. "The onesshe carries fire insurance on! Oh, Mr. Dick, Mr. Dick!"

"How was I to know it wasn't Ju--Miss Summers' room?" he demandedangrily. "Didn't I follow the dratted dog? And wouldn't you have thoughtthe wretched beast would have known me instead of sitting on its tailunder the bed and yelling for mother? I gave her the dog myself. Oh, Itell you, Minnie, if I ever get away from this place--"

"You've got to get away this minute, " I broke in, remembering. "They'llbe coming any instant now. "

He got up and looked around him helplessly. 

"Where'll I go?" he asked. "I can't go back to the shelter-house. "

I looked at him and he tried to grin. 

"Fact, " he said, "hard to believe, but--fact, Minnie. She's got the doorlocked. Didn't I tell you she is of a suspicious nature? She was asleepwhen I left, and mostly she sleeps all night. And just because she wakeswhen I'm out, and lets me come in thinking she's asleep, when shehas one eye open all the time, and she sees what I'd never even seenmyself--that the string of that damned garment, whatever it is, isfastened to the hook of my shoe, me thinking all the time that theweight was because I'd broken my leg jumping--doesn't she suddenlysit up and ask me where I've been? And I--I'm unsuspicious, Minnie, bynature, and I said I'd been asleep. Then she jumped up and showed methat--that thing--those things, hanging to my shoe, and she hasn'tspoken to me since. I wish I was dead. "

And just then a dog barked outside and somebody on the step stamped thesnow off his feet. We were both paralyzed for a moment. 

"Julia!" Mr. Dick cried, and went white. 

I made a leap for the door, just as the handle turned, and put my backagainst it. 

"Just a minute, " I called. "The carpet is caught under it!"

Mr. Dick had lost his head and was making for the spring, as if hethought hiding his feet would conceal him. I made frantic gestures tohim to go into my pantry, and he went at last, leaving his hat on thetable, I left the door and flung it after him--the hat, of course, notthe door--and when Miss Summers sauntered in just after, I was on myknees brushing the hearth, with my heart going three-four time andskipping every sixth beat. 

"Hello!" she said. "Lovely weather--for polar bears. If the nativeswade through this all winter it's no wonder they walk as if they areham-strung. Don't bother getting me a glass. I'll get my own. "

She was making for the pantry when I caught her, and I guess I lookedpretty wild. 

"I'll get it, " I said. "I--that's one of the rules. "

She put her hands in the pockets of her white sweater and smiled at me. 

"Do you know, " she declared, "the old ladies' knitting society isn'tso far wrong about you! About your making rules--whatever you want, WHENEVER you want 'em. "

She put her head on one side. 

"Now, " she went on, "suppose I break that rule and get my own glass?What happens to me? I don't think I'll be put out!"

I threw up my hands in despair, for I was about at the end of my string. 

"Get it then!" I exclaimed, and sat down, waiting for the volcano toerupt. But she only laughed and sat down on a table, swinging her feet. 

"When you know me better, Minnie, " she said, "you'll know I don't spoilsport. I happen to know you have somebody in the pantry--moreover, Iknow it's a man. There are tracks on the little porch, my dear girl, not made by your galoshes. Also, my dearest girl, there's a gentleman'sglove by your chair there!" I put my foot on it. "And just to show youwhat a good fellow I am--"

She got off the table, still smiling, and sauntered to the pantry door, watching me over her shoulder. 

"Don't be alarmed!" she called through the door, "I'm not coming in! Ishall take my little drink of nature's benevolent remedy out of the tinladle, and then--I shall take my departure!"

My heart was skipping every second beat by that time, and Miss Juliastood by the pantry door, her head back and her eyes almost closed, enjoying every minute of it. If Arabella hadn't made a diversion justthen I think I'd have fainted. 

She'd pulled the newspaper and the tights off the table and was runningaround the room with them, one leg in her mouth. 

"Stop it, Arabella!" said Miss Julia, and took the tights from her. "Yours?" she asked, with her eyebrows raised. 

"No--yes, " I answered. 

"I'd never have suspected you of them!" she remarked. "Hardly sheerenough to pull through a finger ring, are they?" She held them up andgazed at them meditatively. "That's one thing I draw the line at. Onthe boards, you know--never have worn 'em and never will. They're notmodest, to my mind, --and, anyhow, I'm too fat!"

Mr. Sam and his wife came in at that moment, Mr. Sam carrying a bottleof wine for the shelter-house, wrapped in a paper, and two cans ofsomething or other. He was too busy trying to make the bottle look likesomething else--which a good many people have tried and failed at--tonotice what Miss Summers was doing, and she had Miss Cobb's protectorsstuffed in her muff and was standing very dignified in front of the fireby the time they'd shaken off the snow. 

"Good morning!" she said. 

"Morning!" said Mr. Sam, hanging up his overcoat with one hand, andtrying to put the bottle in one of the pockets with the other. Mrs. Samdidn't look at her. 

"Good morning, Mrs. Van Alstyne!" Miss Summers almost threw it at her. "I spoke to you before; I guess you didn't hear me. "

"Oh, yes, I heard you, " answered Mrs. Sam, and turned her back on her. Give me a little light-haired woman for sheer devilishness!

I'd expected to see Miss Summers fly to pieces with rage, but she staredat Mrs. Sam's back, and after a minute she laughed. 

"I see!" she remarked slowly. "You're the sister, aren't you?"

Mr. Sam had given up trying to hide the bottle and now he set it on thefloor with a thump and came over to the fire. 

"It's--you see, the situation is embarrassing, " he began. "If we had hadany idea--"

"I might have been still in the Finleyville hotel!" she finished forhim. "Awful thought, isn't it?"

"Under the circumstances, " went on Mr. Sam, nervously, "don't you thinkit would be--er--better form if er--under the circumstances--"

"I'm thinking of my circumstances, " she put in, good-naturedly. "If youimagine that six weeks of one-night stands has left me anything but arural wardrobe and a box of dog biscuit for Arabella, you're pretty wellmistaken. I haven't even a decent costume. All we had left after thesheriff got through was some grass mats, a checked sunbonnet and apump. "

"Minnie, " Mrs. Sam said coldly, "that little beast of a dog is trying todrink out of the spring!"

I caught her in time and gave her a good slapping. When I looked up MissSummers was glaring down at me over the rail. 

"Just what do you mean by hitting my dog?" she demanded. It was thefirst time I'd seen her angry. 

"Just what I appeared to mean, " I answered. "If you want to take it as alove pat, you may. " And I stalked to the door and threw the creature outinto the snow. It was the first false step that day; if I'd known whatputting that dog out meant--! "I don't allow dogs here, " I said, andshut the door. 

Miss Summers was furious; she turned and stared at Mrs. Sam, who wassmiling at the fire. 

"Let Arabella in, " she said to me in an undertone, "or I'll open thepantry door!"

"Open the door!" I retorted. I was half hysterical, but it was no timeto weaken. She looked me straight in the eye for fully ten seconds;then, to my surprise, she winked at me. But when she turned on Mr. Samshe was cold rage again and nothing else. 

"I am not going to leave, if that is what you are about to suggest, " shesaid. "I've been trying to see Dicky Carter the last ten days, and I'llstay here until I see him. "

"It's a delicate situation--"

"Delicate!" she snapped. "It's indelicate it's indecent, that's what itis. Didn't I get my clothes, and weren't we to have been married bythe Reverend Dwight Johnstone, out in Salem, Ohio? And didn't he go outthere and have old Johnstone marry him to somebody else? The wretch! IfI ever see him--"

A glass dropped in the pantry and smashed, but nobody paid anyattention. 

"Oh, I'm not going until he comes!" she continued. "I'll stay righthere, and I'll have what's coming to me or I'll know the reason why. Don't forget for a minute that I know why Mr. Pierce is here, and that Ican spoil the little game by calling the extra ace, if I want to. "

"You're forgetting one thing, " Mrs. Sam said, facing her for the firsttime, "if you call the game, my brother is worth exactly what clothes hehappens to be wearing at the moment and nothing else. He hasn't a pennyof his own. "

"I don't believe it, " she sniffed. "Look at the things he gave me!"

"Yes. I've already had the bills, " said Mr. Sam. 

She whirled and looked at him, and then she threw back her head andlaughed. 

"You!" she said. "Why, bless my soul! All the expense of a double lifeand none of its advantages!"

She went out on that, still laughing, leaving Mrs. Sam scarlet withrage, and when she was safely gone I brought Mr. Dick out to the fire. He was so limp he could hardly walk, and it took three glasses of thewine and all Mr. Sam could do to start him back to the shelter-house. His sister would not speak to him. 

Mike went to Mr. Pierce that day and asked for a raise of salary. 

He did not get it. Perhaps, as things have turned out, it was for thebest, but it is strange to think how different things would have been ifhe'd been given it. He was sent up later, of course, for six months formalicious mischief, but by that time the damage was done. 

CHAPTER XX

EVERY DOG HAS HIS DAY

That was on a Saturday morning. During the golf season Saturday isalways a busy day with us, with the husbands coming up for over Sunday, and trying to get in all the golf, baths and spring water they can inforty-eight hours. But in the winter Saturday is the same as any, otherday. 

It had stopped snowing and the sun was shining, although it was so coldthat the snow blew like powder. By eleven o'clock every one who couldwalk had come to the spring-house. Even Mr. Jennings came down in awheeled chair, and Senator Biggs, still looking a sort of grass-greenand keeping his eyes off me, came and sat in a corner, with a bookcalled Fast versus Feast held so that every one could see. 

There were bridge tables going, and five hundred, and a group aroundthe slot-machine, while the crocheters formed a crowd by themselves, exchanging gossip and new stitches. 

About twelve o'clock Mr. Thoburn came in, and as he opened the door, in leaped Arabella. The women made a fuss over the creature and cuddledher, and when I tried to put her out everybody objected. So she stayed, and Miss Summers put her through a lot of tricks, while the men crowdedaround. As I said before, Miss Summers was a first favorite with themen. 

Mr. Von Inwald and Miss Patty came in just then and stood watching. 

"And now, " said Mr. Von Inwald, "I propose, as a reward to MissArabella, a glass of this wonderful water. Minnie, a glass of water forArabella!"

"She doesn't drink out of one of my glasses, " I declared angrily. 

"It's one of my rules that dogs--"

"Tut!" said Mr. Thoburn. "What's good for man is good for beast. Besides, the little beggar's thirsty. "

Well, they made a great fuss about the creature's being thirsty, and sofinally I got a panful of spring water and it drank until I thought itwould burst. I'm not vicious, as I say, but I wish it had. 

Well, the dog finished and lay down by the fire, and everything seemedto go on as before. Mr. Thoburn was in a good humor, and he came over tothe spring and brought a trayful of glasses. 

"To save you steps, Minnie!" he explained. "You have no idea how itpains me to see you working. Gentlemen, name your poison!"

"A frappe with blotting-paper on the side, " Mr. Moody snarled from theslot-machine. "If I drink much more, I'll have to be hooped up like abarrel. "

"Just what is the record here?" the bishop asked. "I'm ordered eightglasses, but I find it more than a sufficiency. "

"We had one man here once who could drink twenty-five at a time, " Isaid, "but he was a German. "

"He was a tank, " Mr. Sam corrected grumpily. He was watching somethingon the floor--I couldn't see what. "All I need is to swallow a fewgoldfish and I'd be a first-class aquarium. "

"What I think we should do, " Miss Cobb said, "is to try to find out justwhat suits us, and stick to that. I'm always trying. "

"Damned trying!" Mr. Jennings snarled, and limped over for more water. "I'd like to know where to go for rheumatism. "

"I got mine here, " said Mr. Thoburn cheerfully. "It's my opinion thisplace is rheumatic as well as malarious. And as for this water, with alldue respect to the spirit in the spring"--he bowed to me--"I think it'san insult to ask people to drink it. It isn't half so strong as itwas two years ago. Taste it; smell it! I ask the old friends of thesanatorium, is that water what it used to be?"

"Don't tell me it was ever any worse than this!" Miss Summers exclaimed. But Thoburn went on. The card-players stopped to listen, but Mr. Sam wasstill staring at something on the floor. 

"I tell you, the spring is losing its virtue, and, like a woman, withoutvirtue, it is worthless. "

"But interesting!" Mr. Sam said, and stooped down. 

"Consider, " went on Mr. Thoburn, standing and holding his glass to thelight, "how we are at the mercy of this little spring! A convulsion inthe bowels of the earth, and its health-giving properties may be changedto the direst poison. How do we know, you and I, some such change hasnot occurred overnight? Unlikely as it is, it's a possibility that, sitting here calmly, we may be sipping our death potion. "

Some of the people actually put down their glasses and everybody beganto look uneasy except Mr. Sam, who was still watching something I couldnot see. 

Mr. Thoburn looked around and saw he'd made an impression. "We may, "he continued, "although my personal opinion of this water is that it'sgrowing too weak to be wicked. I prove my faith in Mother Nature; if itis poisoned, I am gone. I drink!"

Mr. Sam suddenly straightened up and glanced at Miss Summers. "PerhapsI'm mistaken, " he said, "but I think there is something the matter withArabella. "

Everybody looked: Arabella was lying on her back, jerking and twitchingand foaming at the mouth. 

"She's been poisoned!" Miss Summers screeched, and fell on her kneesbeside her. "It's that wretched water!"

There was pretty nearly a riot in a minute. Everybody jumped up andstared at the dog, and everybody remembered the water he or she had justhad, and coming on top of Mr. Thoburn's speech, it made them babblinglunatics. As I look back, I have a sort of picture of Miss Summers onthe floor with Arabella in her lap, and the rest telling how much of thewater they had had and crowding around Mr. Thoburn. 

"It seems hardly likely it was the water, " he said, "although from whatI recall of my chemistry it is distinctly possible. Springs have beenknown to change their character, and the coincidence--the dog and thewater--is certainly startling. Still, as nobody feels ill--"

But they weren't sure they didn't. The bishop said he felt perfectlywell, but he had a strange inclination to yawn all the time, and Mrs. Biggs' left arm had gone to sleep. And then, with the excitement andall, Miss Cobb took a violent pain in the back of her neck and didn'tknow whether to cry or to laugh. 

Well, I did what I could. The worst of it was, I wasn't sure it wasn'tthe water. I thought possibly Mr. Pierce had made a mistake in what hehad bought at the drug store, and although I don't as a rule drink itmyself, I began to feel queer in the pit of my stomach. 

Mr. Thoburn came over to the spring, and filling a glass, took it tothe light, with every one watching anxiously. When he brought it back hestooped over the railing and whispered to me. 

"When did you fix it?" he asked sternly. 

"Last night, " I answered. It was no time to beat about the bush. 

"It's yellower than usual, " he said. "I'm inclined to think somethinghas gone wrong at the drug store, Minnie. "

I could hardly breathe. I had the most terrible vision of all the guestslying around like Arabella, twitching and foaming, and me going toprison as a wholesale murderess. Any hair but mine would have turnedgray in that minute. 

Mr. Von Inwald was watching like the others, and now he came over andcaught Mr. Thoburn by the arm. 

"What do you think--" he asked nervously. "I--I have had three glassesof it!"

"Three!" shouted Senator Biggs, coming forward. "I've had eleven! I tellyou, I've been feeling queer for twenty-four hours! I'm poisoned! That'swhat I am. "

He staggered out, with Mrs. Biggs just behind him, and from that momentthey were all demoralized. I stood by the spring and sipped at thewater to show I wasn't afraid of it, with my knees shaking under me andArabella lying stock-still, as if she had died, under my very nose. Oneby one they left to look for Doctor Barnes, or to get the white of egg, which somebody had suggested as an antidote. 

Miss Cobb was one of the last to go. She turned in the doorway andlooked back at me, with tears in her eyes. 

"It isn't your fault, Minnie, " she said, "and forgive me if I have eversaid anything unkind to you. " Then she went, and I was alone, lookingdown at Arabella. 

Or rather, I thought I was alone, for there was a movement by one of thewindows and Miss Patty came forward and knelt by the dog. 

"Of all the absurdities!" she said. "Poor little thing! Minnie, Ibelieve she's breathing!"

She put the dog's head in her lap, and the little beast opened its eyesand tried to wag its blue tail. 

"Oh, Miss Patty, Miss Patty!" I exclaimed, and I got down beside her andcried on her shoulder, with her stroking my hand and calling me dearest!Me!

I was wiping my eyes when the door was thrown open and Mr. Pierce ranin. He had no hat on and his hair was powdered with snow. He stoppedjust inside the door and looked at Miss Patty. 

"You--" he said "you are all right? You are not--" he came forward andstood over her, with his heart in his eyes. She MUST have known fromthat minute. 

"My God!" he exclaimed, "I thought you were poisoned!"

She looked up, without smiling, and then I thought she half shut hereyes, as if what she saw in his face hurt her. 

"I am all right, " she assured him, "and little Arabella will beall right, too. She's had a convulsion, that's all--probably fromovereating. As for the others--!"

"Where is the--where is von Inwald?"

"He has gone to take the white of an egg, " she replied rather haughtily. She was too honest to evade anything, but she flushed. Of course, I knewwhat he didn't--that the prince had been among the first to scurry tothe house, and that he hadn't even waited for her. 

He walked to the window, as if he didn't want her to see what he thoughtof that, and I saw him looking hard at something outside in the snow. When he walked back to the fire he was smiling, and he stooped over andpoked Arabella with his finger. 

"So that was it!" he said. "Full to the scuppers, poor little wretch!Minnie, I am hoist with my own petard, which in this case was aboomerang. "

"Which is in English--" I asked. 

"With the instinct of her sex, Arabella has unearthed what was meantto be buried forever. She had gorged herself into a convulsion on thatrabbit I shot last night!"

CHAPTER XXI

THE MUTINY

They went to the house together, he carrying Arabella like a sick babyand Miss Patty beside him. As far as I could see they didn't speak aword to each other, but once or twice I saw her turn and look up at himas if she was puzzled. 

I closed the door and stood just inside, looking at father's pictureover the mantel. As sure as I stood there, the eyes were fixed on thespring, and I sensed, as you may say, what they meant. I went over andlooked down into the spring, and it seemed to me it was darker thanusual. It may have smelled stronger, but the edge had been taken off mynose, so to speak, by being there so long. 

From the spring I looked again at father, and his eyes were on memournful and sad. I felt as though, if he'd been there, father wouldhave turned the whole affair to the advantage of the house, and itwas almost more than I could bear. I was only glad the old doctor'senlargement had not come yet. I couldn't have endured having it see whathad occurred. 

The only thing I could think of was to empty the spring and let thewater come in plain. I could put a little sulphur in to give it colorand flavor, and if it turned out that Mr. Pierce was right and thatArabella was only a glutton, I could put in the other things later. 

I was carrying out my first pailful when Doctor Barnes came down thepath and took the pail out of my hand. 

"What are you doing?" he asked. "Making a slide?"

"No, " I said bitterly, "I am watering the flowers. "

"Good!" He was not a bit put out. "Let me help you. " He took the pailacross the path and poured a little into the snow at the base of ahalf-dozen fence posts. "There!" he said, coming back triumphant. "The roses are done. Now let's have a go at the pansies and thelady's-slippers and the--the begonias. I say"--he stopped suddenlyon his way in--"sulphur water on a begonia--what would it make? Skunkcabbage?"

Inside, however, he put down the pail, and pulling me in, closed thedoor. 

"Now forget it!" he commanded. "Just because a lot of damn fools see adog in a fit and have one, too, is that any reason for your being scaredwall-eyed and knock-kneed?"

"I'm not!" I snapped. 

"Well, you're wall-eyed with fright, " he insisted. "Of course, you'rethe best judge of your own knees, but after last night--Had any lunch?"

I shook my head. 

"Exactly, " he said. "You make me think of the little boy who dugpost-holes in the daytime and took in washings at night to support thefamily. Sit down. "

I sat. 

"Inhale and exhale slowly four times, and then swallow the lump in yourthroat. .. . Gone?"

"Yes. "

"Good. " He was fumbling in his pocket and he brought out a napkin. Whenhe opened it there was a sandwich, a piece of cheese and a banana. 

"What do you think of that?" he asked, watching me anxiously. "Lookspretty good?"

"Fine, " I said, hating to disappoint him, although I never eat sardines, and bananas give me indigestion, "I'm hungry enough to eat a rawItalian. "

"Then fall to, " he directed, and with a flourish he drew a bottle ofginger ale from his pocket. 

"How's this?" he demanded, holding it up. "Cheers but doesn't inebriate;not a headache in a barrel; ginger ale to the gingery! 'A quart of aleis a dish for a king, '" he said, holding up a glass. "That'sShakespeare, Miss Minnie. "

I was a good bit more cheerful when I'd choked down the sandwich, especially when he assured me the water was all right--"a little high, as you might say, but not poisonous. Lord, I wish you could have seenthem staggering into my office!"

"I saw enough, " I said with a shiver. 

"That German, von Inwald, " he went on, "he's the limit. He accused us ofpoisoning him for reasons of state!"

"Where are they now?"

"My dear girl, " he answered, putting down his glass, "what has beenpounded into me ever since I struck the place? The baths! I prescribe'em all day and dream 'em all night. Where are the poisonees now?They are steaming, stewing, exuding in the hot rooms of the bathdepartment--all of them, every one of them! In the hold and the hatchesdown!"

He picked up the pail and went down the steps to the spring. 

"After all, " he said, "it won't hurt to take out a little of this andpour it on the ground. It ought to be good fertilizer. " He stooped. "'Come, gentle spring, ethereal mildness, come, '" he quoted, and dippedin the pail. 

Just then somebody fell against the door and stumbled into the room. Itwas Tillie, as white as milk, and breathing in gasps. 

"Quick!" she screeched, "Minnie, quick!"

"What is it?" I asked, jumping up. She'd fallen back against thedoor-frame and stood with her hand clutching her heart. 

"That dev--devil--Mike!" she panted. "He has turned on the steam in themen's baths and gone--gone away!"

"With people in the bath?" Doctor Barnes asked, slamming down the pail. 

Tillie nodded. 

"Then why in creation don't they get out of the baths until we can shutoff the steam?" I demanded, grabbing up my shawl. But Tillie shook herhead in despair. 

"They can't, " she answered, "he's hid their clothes!"

The next thing I recall is running like mad up the walk with DoctorBarnes beside me, steadying me by the arm. I only spoke once that Iremember and that was just as we got to the house, "This settles it!" I panted, desperately. "It's all over. "

"Not a bit of it!" he said, shoving me up the steps and into the hall. "The old teakettle is just getting 'het up' a bit. By the gods andlittle fishes, just listen to it singing down there!"

The help was gathered in a crowd at the head of the bath-housestaircase, where a cloud of steam was coming up, and down below we couldhear furious talking, and somebody shouting, "Mike! Mike!" in a voicethat was choked with rage and steam. 

Doctor Barnes elbowed his way through the crowd to the top of the stairsand I followed. 

"There's Minnie!" Amanda King yelled. "She knows all about the place. Minnie, you can shut it off, can't you?"

"I'll try, " I said, and was starting down, when Doctor Barnes jerked meback. 

"You stay here, " he said. "Where's Mr. Pier--where's Carter?"

"Down with the engineer, " somebody replied out of the steam cloud. 

"Hello there!" he called down the staircase. "How's the air?"

"Clothes! Send us some clothes!"

It was Mr. Sam calling. The rest was swallowed up in a fresh roaring, as if a steam-pipe had given away. That settled the people below. Witha burst of fury they swarmed up the stairs in their bath sheets, thebishop leading, and just behind him, talking as no gentleman should talkunder any circumstances, Senator Biggs. The rest followed, their redfaces shining through the steam--all of them murderous, holding theirsheets around them with one hand, and waving the other in a frenzy. Itwas awful. 

The help scattered and ran, but I stood my ground. The sight of a man ina sheet didn't scare me and it was no time for weakness. 

The steam was thicker than ever, and the hall was misty. A moment laterthe engineer came up and after him Mr. Pierce, with a towel over hismouth and a screw-driver in his hand. He was white with rage. He brushedpast the sheets without paying the slightest attention to them, and torethe towel off his mouth. 

"Who saw Mike last?" he shouted across to where the pharmacy clerk, theelevator boy and some of the bell-boys had retreated to the office andwere peeping out through the door. 

Here Mr. Moody, who's small at any time, and who without the paddingon his shoulders and wrapped in a sheet with his red face above, lookedlike a lighted cigarette, darted out of the crowd and caught him by thesleeve. 

"Here!" he cried, "we've got a few things to say to you, you young--"

"Take your hand off my arm!" thundered Mr. Pierce. 

The storm broke with that. They crowded around Mr. Pierce, yelling likemaniacs, and he stood there, white-faced, and let them wear themselvesout. The courage of a man in a den of lions was nothing to it. DoctorBarnes forced his way through the crowd and stood there beside him. 

It wasn't only the steam and their clothes being hidden; it had startedwith the scare at the spring in the morning, and when they had told himwhat they thought about that, they went back still further and bellowedabout the mismanagement of the place ever since he had taken charge, andthe food, and the steam-heat, and the new rules--oh, they hated him allright, and they told him so, purple-faced with rage and heat, dancingaround him and shaking one fist in his face, as I say, while they heldtheir sheets fast with the other. 

And I stood there and watched, my mind awhirl, expecting every minuteto hear that they were all leaving, or to have some one forget and shakeboth fists at once. 

And that's how it ended finally--I mean, of course, that they said theywould all leave immediately, and that he ought to be glad to havethem go quietly, and not have him jailed for malicious mischief orcompounding a felony. The whole thing was an outrage, and the threetrain would leave the house as empty as a squeezed lemon. 

I wanted to go forward and drop on my knees and implore them to rememberthe old doctor, and the baths they'd had when nothing went wrong, andthe days when they'd sworn that the spring kept them young and well, butthere was something in Mr. Pierce's face that kept me back. 

"At three o'clock, then, " he said. "Very well. "

"Don't be a fool!" I heard Mr. Sam from the crowd. 

"Is that all you have to say?" roared Mr. Von Inwald. I hadn't noticedhim before. He had his sheet on in Grecian style and it looked quiteornamental although a little short. "Haven't you any apology to make, sir?"

"Neither apology nor explanation to you, " Mr. Pierce retorted. And tothe other: "It is an unfortunate accident--incident, if you prefer. " Helooked at Thoburn, who was the only one in a bath robe, and who was theonly cheerful one in the lot. "I had refused a request of the bathman's and he has taken this form of revenge. If this gives me theresponsibility I am willing to take it. If you expect me to ask you tostay I'll not do it. I don't mind saying that I am as tired of all thisas you are. "

"As tired of what?" demanded Mr. Moody, pushing forward out of thecrowd. Mr. Sam was making frantic gestures to catch Mr. Pierce's eye, but he would not look at him. 

"Of all this, " he said. "Of charging people sanatorium prices under apretense of making them well. Does anybody here imagine he's going tofind health by sitting around in an overstuffed leather chair, with thetemperature at eighty, eating five meals a day, and walking as far asthe mineral spring for exercise?"

There was a sort of angry snarl in the air, and Mr. Sam threw up his onefree hand in despair. 

"In fact, " Mr. Pierce went on, "I'd about decided on a new order ofthings for this place anyhow. It's going to be a real health resort, run for people who want to get well or keep well. People who wish to beoverfed, overheated and coddled need not come--or stay. "

The bishop spoke over the heads of the others, who looked dazed. 

"Does that mean, " he inquired mildly, "that--guests must either obeythis new order of things or go away?"

Mr. Pierce looked at the bishop and smiled. 

"I'm sorry, sir, " he said, "but as every one is leaving, anyhow--"

They fairly jumped at him then. They surrounded him in a howling mob anddemanded how he dared to turn them out, and what did he mean by sayingthey were overfed, and they would leave when they were good and readyand not before, and he could go to blazes. It was the most scandalousthing I've ever known of at Hope Springs, and in the midst of it Mr. Pierce stood cool and quiet, waiting for a chance to speak. And whenthe time came he jumped in and told them the truth about themselves, andmost of it hurt. 

He was good and mad, and he stood there and picked out the flabby onesand the fat ones, the whisky livers and the tobacco hearts and thebanquet stomachs, and called them out by name. 

When he got through they were standing in front of him, ashamed to lookat one another, and not knowing whether to fall on him and tear him topieces, or go and weep in a corner because they'd played such havoc withthe bodies the Lord gave them. If he'd weakened for a minute they'd havejumped on him. But he didn't. He got through and stood looking at themin their sheets, and then he said coolly:

"The bus will be ready at two-thirty, gentlemen, " and turning on hisheels, went into the office and closed the door. 

They scattered to their rooms in every stage of rage and excitement, and at last only Mr. Sam and I were left staring at each other. "Damnedyoung idiot!" he said. "I wish to heavens you'd never suggested bringinghim here, Minnie!"

And leaving me speechless with indignation, he trailed himself and hissheet up the stairs. 

CHAPTER XXII

HOME TO ROOST

I couldn't stand any more. It was all over! I rushed to my room andthrew myself on the bed. At two-thirty I heard the bus come to theporte-cochere under my window and then drive away; that was the laststraw. I put a pillow over my head so nobody could hear me, and then andthere I had hysterics. I knew I was having them, and I wasn't ashamed. I'd have exploded if I hadn't. And then somebody jerked the pillow awayand I looked up, with my eyes swollen almost shut, and it was DoctorBarnes. He had a glass of water in his hand and he held it right aboveme. 

"One more yell, " he said, "and it goes over you!"

I lay there staring up at him, and then I knew what a fright I looked, and although I couldn't speak yet, I reached up and felt for myhairpins. 

"That's better, " he said, putting down the glass. "Another ten minutesof that and you'd have burst a blood vessel. Don't worry. I know I haveno business here, but I anticipated something of this kind, and it mayinterest you to know that I've been outside in the hall since the firstwhoop. It's been a good safety-valve. "

I sat up and stared at him. I could hardly see out of my eyes. He hadhis back to the light, but I could tell that he had a cross of adhesiveplaster on his cheek and that one eye was almost shut. He smiled when hesaw my expression. 

"It's the temperament, " he said. "It goes with the hair. I've got ittoo, only I'm apt to go out and pick a fight at such times, and a womanhasn't got that outlet. As you see, I found Mike, and my disfigurementis to Mike's as starlight to the noonday glare. Come and take a walk. "

I shook my head, but he took my arm and pulled me off the bed. 

"You come for a walk!" he said. "I'll wait in the hall until you powderyour nose. You look like a fire that's been put out by a rain-storm. "

I didn't want to go, but anything was better than sitting in the roommoping. I put on my jacket and Miss Patty's chinchillas, which cheeredme a little, but as we went downstairs the quiet of the place sat on mychest like a weight. 

The lower hall was empty. A new card headed "Rules" hung on the doorinto the private office, but I did not read it. What was the use ofrules without people to disobey them? Mrs. Moody had forgotten hercrocheting bag and it hung on the back of a chair. I had to bite my lipto keep it from trembling again. 

"The Jenningses are still here, " said the doctor. "The old man is madderthan any hornet ever dared be, and they go in the morning. But thesituation was too much for our German friend. He left with the others. "

Well, we went out and I took the path I knew best, which was out towardthe spring-house. There wasn't a soul in sight. The place looked lonely, with the trees hung with snow, and arching over the board walk. At thelittle bridge over the creek Doctor Barnes stopped, and leaning over therail, took a good look at me. 

"When you self-contained women go to pieces, " he said, "you pretty nearsmash, don't you? You look as if you'd had a death in your family. "

"This WAS my family, " I half sniveled. 

"But, " he said, "you'll be getting married and having a home of your ownand forgetting all about this. "

He looked at me with his sharp eyes. "There's probably some nice chap inthe village, eh?"

I shook my head. I had just caught sight of the broken pieces of theMoody water-pitcher on the ice below. 

"No nice young man!" he remarked. "Not the telegraph operator, or thefellow who runs the livery-stable--I've forgotten his name. "

"Look here, " I turned on him, "if you're talking all this nonsense tokeep my mind off things, you needn't. "

"I'm not, " he said. "I'm asking for the sake of my own mind, but we'llnot bother about that now. We'd better start back. "

It was still snowing, although not so hard. The air had done me somegood, but the lump in my throat seemed to have gone to my chest. Thedoctor helped me along, for the snow was drifting, and when he saw I waspast the crying stage he went back to what we were both thinking about. 

"Old Pierce is right, " he said. "Remember, Miss Minnie, I've nothingagainst you or your mineral spring; in fact, I'm strong for you both. But while I'm out of the ring now for good--I don't mind saying to youwhat I said to Pierce, that the only thing that gets into training here, as far as I can see, is a fellow's pocketbook. "

We went back to the house and I straightened the news stand, AmandaKing having taken a violent toothache as a result of the excitement. The Jenningses were packing to go, and Miss Summers had got a bottle ofperoxide and shut herself in her room. At six o'clock Tillie beckonedto me from the door of the officers' dining-room and said she'd put thebasket in the snow by the grape arbor. I got ready, with a heavy heart, to take it out. I had forgotten all about their dinner, for one thing, and I had to carry bad news. 

But Mr. Pierce had been there before me. I saw tracks in the fresh snow, for, praise heaven! it had snowed all that week and our printswere filled up almost as fast as we made them. When I got to theshelter-house it was in a wild state of excitement. Mrs. Dick, with hercheeks flushed, had gathered all her things on the cot and was rollingthem up in sheets and newspapers. But Mr. Dick was sitting on the boxin front of the fire with his curly hair standing every way. He had beenroasting potatoes, and as I opened the door, he picked one up and pokedat it to see if it was done. 

"Damn!" he said, and dropped it. 

Mrs. Dick sat on the cot rolling up a pink ribbon and looked at him. 

"If you want to know exactly my reason for insisting on moving to-night, I'll tell you, " she said, paying no attention to me. "It is yourdisposition. "

He didn't say anything, but he put his foot on the potato and smashedit. 

"If I had to be shut in here with you one more day, " she went on, "I'dhate you. "

"Why the one more day?" he asked, without looking up. 

But she didn't answer him. She was in the worst kind of a temper; shethrew the ribbon down, and coming over, lifted the lid of my basket andlooked in. 

"Ham again!" she exclaimed ungratefully. "Thanks so much for rememberingus, Minnie. I dare say our dinner to-day slipped your mind!"

"I wonder if it strikes you, Minnie, " Mr. Dick said, noticing me forthe first time, "that if you and Sam hadn't been so confounded meddling, that fellow Pierce would be washing buggies in the village livery-stablewhere he belongs, and I'd be in one piece of property that's as good asgone this minute. "

"Egg salad and cheese!" said Mrs. Dick. "I'm sick of cheese. If that'sthe kind of supper you've been serving--"

But I was in a bad humor, anyhow, and I'd had enough. I stood justinside the door and I told them I'd done the best I could, not for them, but because I'd promised the old doctor, and if I'd made mistakes I'danswer for them to him if I ever met him in the next world. And in themeantime I washed my hands of the whole thing, and they might make outas best they could. I was going. 

Mrs. Dick heard me through. Then she came over and put her hand on minewhere it lay on the table. 

"You're perfectly right, " she said. "I know how you have tried, and thatthe fault is all that wretched Pierce's. You mustn't mind Mr. Carter, Minnie. He's been in that sort of humor all day. "

He looked at her with the most miserable face I ever saw, but he didn'tsay anything. She sighed, the little wretch. 

"We've all made mistakes, " she said, "and not the least was my thinkingthat I--well, never mind. I dare say we will manage somehow. "

He got up then, his face twisted with misery. 

"Say it, " he said. "You hate me; you shiver if I touch your hand--oh, I'm not very keen, but I saw that. "

"The remedy for that is very, simple, " she replied coolly. "You needn'ttouch my hand. "

"Stop!" I snapped. "Just stop before you say something you'll be sorryfor. Of course, you hate each other. It beats me, anyhow, why two peoplewho get married always want to get away by themselves until they're sosick of each other that they don't get over it the rest of theirlives. The only sensible honeymoon I ever heard of was when one of thechambermaids here married a farmer in the neighborhood. It was harvestand he couldn't leave, so she went ALONE to see her folks and she saidit beat having him along all hollow. "

She was setting out the supper, putting things down with a bang. Hedidn't move, although he must have been starving. 

"Another thing I'd advise, " I said. "Eat first and talk after. You'llsee things different after you've got something in your stomach. "

"I wish you wouldn't meddle, Minnie!" she snapped, and having put downher own plate and knife and fork, not laying a place for him, she wentover and tried to get one of the potatoes from the fire. 

Well, she burnt her finger, or pretended to, and I guess her solutionwas as good as mine, for she began to cry, and when I left he was tyingit up with a bit of his handkerchief; if she shivered when he kissed itI didn't notice it. They were to come up to the house after her fatherleft in the morning, and I was to dismiss all the old help and get newones so he could take charge and let Mr. Pierce go. 

I plodded back with my empty basket. I had only one clear thought, --thatI wouldn't have any more tramping across the golf links in the snow. Iwas too tired really to care that with the regular winter boarders goneand eight weeks still until Lent, we'd hardly be able to keep goinganother fortnight. I wanted to get back to my room and go to bed andforget. 

But as I came near the house I saw Mr. Pierce come out on the frontpiazza and switch on the lights. He stood there looking out into thesnow, and the next minute I saw why. Coming up the hill and across thelawn was a shadowy line of people, black against the white. They werenot speaking, and they moved without noise over the snow. I thought fora minute that my brain had gone wrong; then the first figure came intothe light, and it was the bishop. He stood at the front of the steps andlooked up at Mr. Pierce. 

"I dare say, " he said, trying to look easy, "that this is sooner thanyou expected us!"

Mr. Pierce looked down at the crowd. Then he smiled, a growing smilethat ended in a grin. 

"On the contrary, " he said, "I've been expecting you for an hour ormore. "

The procession began to move gloomily up the steps. All of them carriedhand luggage, and they looked tired and sheepish Miss Cobb stopped infront of Mr. Pierce. 

"Do you mean to say, " she demanded furiously, "that you knew therailroad was blocked with snow, and yet you let us go!"

"On the contrary, Miss Cobb, " he said politely, "I remember distinctlyregretting that you insisted on going. Besides, there was the ShermanHouse. "

Senator Briggs {sic} stopped in front of him. "Probably you also knewthat THAT was full, including the stables, with people from the stalledtrains, " he asserted furiously. 

Two by two they went in and through the hall, stamping the snow off, andup to their old rooms again, leaving Slocum, the clerk, staring at themas if he couldn't believe his eyes. 

Mr. Pierce and I watched from the piazza, through the glass. 

We saw Doctor Barnes stop and look, and then go and hang over the newsstand and laugh himself almost purple, and we saw Mr. Thoburn bringingup the tail of the procession and trying to look unconcerned. I am not arevengeful woman, but that was one of the happiest moments of my life. 

Doctor Barnes turned suddenly, and catching me by the arm, whirled mearound and around, singing wildly something about Noah and "the animalswent in two by, two, the elephant and the kangaroo. "

He stopped as suddenly as he began and walked me to the door again. 

"We've got 'em in the ark, " he said, "but I'm thinking this forty daysof snow is nearly over, Minnie. I don't think much of the dove and theolive-branch, but WE'VE GOT TO KEEP THEM. "

"It's against the law, " I quavered. 

"Nonsense!" he said. "We've got to make 'em WANT to stay!"

CHAPTER XXIII

BACK TO NATURE

We gave them a good supper and Mr. Pierce ordered claret served withoutextra charge. By eight o'clock they were all in better humor, and whenthey'd gathered in the lobby Miss Summers gave an imitation of MarieDressler doing the Salome dance. Every now and then somebody would lookout and say it was still snowing, and with the memory of the drifts andthe cold stove in the railroad station behind them, they'd gather closeraround the fire and insist that they would go as soon as the road wascleared. 

But with the exception of Mr. Von Inwald, not one of them really wantedto go. As Doctor Barnes said over the news stand, each side was bluffingand wouldn't call the other, and the fellow with the most nerve wouldwin. 

"And, oh, my aunt!" he said, "what a sweet disposition the von Inwaldhas! Watch him going up and banging his head against the wall!"

Everybody was charmed with the Salome dance, especially when MissSummers drew the cover off a meat platter she'd been dancing around, and there was Arabella sitting on her hind legs, with a card tied to herneck, and the card said that at eleven there would be a clambake in thekitchen for all the guests. 

(The clambake was my idea, but the dog, of course, was Miss Julia's. Inever saw a woman so full of ideas, although it seems that what shouldhave been on the platter was the head of somebody or other. )

Just after the dance I saw Mr. Von Inwald talking to Miss Patty. He hadbeen ugly all evening, and now he looked like a devil. She stood facinghim with her head thrown back and her fingers twisting her ruby ring. I guessed that she was about as much surprised as anything else, peoplehaving a habit of being pleasant to her most of the time. He left herin a rage, and as he went he collided with Arabella and kicked her. Miss Patty went white but Miss Summers was not a bit put out. She simplypicked up the howling dog and confronted Mr. Von Inwald. 

"Perhaps you didn't notice, " she said sweetly, "but you kicked my dog. "

"Why don't you keep her out of the way?" he snarled, and they stoodglaring at each other. 

"Under the circumstances, Arabella, " Miss Julia said--and everybodywas listening--"we can only withdraw Mr. Von Inwald's invitation to thekitchen. "

"Thank you, I had not intended to go, " he said furiously, and went outinto the veranda, slamming the door behind him. Mr. Jennings looked upfrom where he was playing chess by the fire and nodded at Miss Summers. 

"Serves him right for his temper!" he said. 

"Checkmate!" said the bishop. 

Mr. Jennings turned and glared at the board. Then with one sweep hethrew all the chessmen on the floor. As Tillie said later, it would bea pity to spoil two houses with Mr. Von Inwald and Mr. Jennings If theywere in the same family, they could work it off on each other. 

Miss Patty came down to the news stand and pretended to hunt for amagazine. I reached over and stroked her hand. "Don't take it too hard, dearie, " I said. "He's put out to-night, and maybe he isn't well. Menare like babies. If their stomachs are all right and have plenty inthem, they're pleasant enough. It's been my experience that your crankyman's a sick man. "

"I don't think he is sick, Minnie, " she said, with a catch in her voice. "I--I think he is just dev--devilish!"

Well, I thought that too, so I just stroked her hand, and after a minuteshe got her color again. "It is hard for him, " she said. "He thinks thisis all vulgar and American, and--oh, Minnie, I want to get away, and yetwhat shall I do without you to keep me sensible. "

"You'll be a long ways off soon, " I said, touching the ring under myhand. 

"I wish you could come with me, " she said, but I shook my head. 

"Here is one dog that isn't going to sit under any rich man's table andhowl for crumbs, " I answered. "If he kicked ME, I'd bite him. "

At eleven o'clock we had the clambake with beer in the kitchen, and Mr. Von Inwald came, after all. They were really very cheerful, all of them. Doctor Barnes insisted that Senator Biggs must not fast any longer, andhe ate by my count three dozen clams. At the end, when everybody washappy and everything forgiven, Mr. Pierce got up and made a speech. 

He said he was sorry for what had happened that day, but that much hehad said he still maintained: that to pretend to make people well inthe way most sanatoriums did it was sheer folly, and he felt hisresponsibility too keenly to countenance a system that was clearly wrongand that the best modern thought considered obsolete. 

Miss Cobb sat up at that; she is always talking about the best modernthought. 

He said that perfect health, clear skins, bright eyes--he looked at thewomen, and except for Miss Patty, there wasn't an honest complexion or abright eye in the lot--keen appetites and joy of living all depended onrational and simple living. 

"Hear, hear!" said the men. 

"The nearer we live to nature, the better, " said Senator Biggsoracularly. 

"Back to nature, " shouted Mr. Moody through a clam. 

"Exactly, " Mr. Pierce said, smiling. 

Mrs. Moody looked alarmed. "You don't mean doing without clothes--andall that!" she protested. 

"Surely!" Miss Summers said, holding up her beer glass. "A toast, everybody! Back to nature, sans rats, sans rouge, sans stays, sanseverything. I'll need to wear a tag with my name on it. Nobody willrecognize me!"

Mr. Pierce got up again at the head of the long kitchen table and saidhe merely meant rational living--more air, more exercise, simpler foodand better hours. It was being done now in a thousand fresh-air farms, and succeeding. Men went back to their business clearer-headed and womengrew more beautiful. 

At that, what with the reaction from sitting in the cold station, andthe beer and everything, they all grew enthusiastic. Doctor Barnes madea speech, telling that he used to be puny and weak, and how he wentinto training and became a pugilist, and how he'd fought the Tennesseesomething or other--the men nodded as if they knew--and licked him inforty seconds or forty rounds, I'm not sure which. The men were standingon their chairs cheering for him, and even Mr. Jennings, who'd beensitting and not saying much, said he thought probably there wassomething in it. 

They ended by agreeing to try it out for a week, beginning with themorning, when everybody was to be down for breakfast by seven-thirty. Mr. Thoburn got up and made a speech, protesting that they didn't knowwhat they were letting themselves in for, and ended up by demanding toknow if he was expected to breakfast at seven-thirty. 

"Yes, or earlier, " Mr. Pierce said pleasantly. "I suppose you could havesomething at seven. "

"And suppose I refuse?" he retorted disagreeably. 

But everybody turned on him, and said if they could do it, he could, andhe sat down again. Then somebody suggested that if they were to get upthey'd have to go to bed, and the party broke up. 

Doctor Barnes helped me gather up the clam shells and the plates. 

"It's a risky business, " he said. "To-night doesn't mean anything;they're carried away by the reaction and the desire for something new. The next week will tell the tale. "

"If we could only get rid of Mr. Thoburn!" I exclaimed. Doctor Barneschuckled. 

"We may not get rid of him, " he said, "but I can promise him the mostinteresting week of his life. He'll be too busy for mischief. I'm goingto take six inches off his waist line. "

Well, in a half-hour or so I had cleared away, and I went out to thelobby to lock up the news stand. Just as I opened the door from the backhall, however, I heard two people talking. 

It was Miss Pat and Mr. Pierce. She was on the stairs and he in the hallbelow, looking up. 

"I don't WANT to stay!" she was saying. 

"But don't you see?" he argued. "If you go, the others will. Can't youtry it for a week?"

"I quite understand your motive, " she said, looking down at him morepleasantly than she'd ever done, "and it's very good of you and allthat. But if you'd only left things as they were, and let us all go, andother people come--"

"That's just it, " he said. "I'm told it's the bad season and nobody elsewould come until Lent. And, anyhow, it's not business to let a lot ofpeople go away mad. It gives the place a black eye. "

"Dear me, " she said, "how businesslike you are growing!"

He went over close to the stairs and dropped his voice. 

"If you want the bitter truth, " he went on, trying to smile, "I've putmyself on trial and been convicted of being a fool and a failure. I'vefailed regularly and with precision at everything I have tried. I'vebeen going around so long trying to find a place that I fit into, thatI'm scarred as with many battles. And now I'm on probation--for the lasttime. If this doesn't go, I--I--"

"What?" she asked, leaning down to him. "You'll not--"

"Oh, no, " he said, "nothing dramatic, of course. I could go around thecountry in a buggy selling lightning-rods--"

She drew herself back as if she resented his refusal of her sympathy. 

"Or open a saloon in the Philippines!" he finished mockingly. "There's aliving in that. "

"You are impossible, " she said, and turned away. 

Oh, I haven't any excuse to make for him! I think he was just hungry forher sympathy and her respect, knowing nothing else was coming to him. But the minute they grew a bit friendly he seemed to remember theprince, and that, according to his idea of it, she was selling herself, and he would draw off and look at her in a mocking unhappy way that mademe want to slap him. 

He watched her up the stairs and then turned and walked to the fire, with his hands in his pockets and his head down. 

I closed the news stand and he came over just as I was hanging up thecigar-case key for Amanda King in the morning. He reached up and tookthe key off its nail. 

"I'll keep that, " he said. "It's no tobacco after this, Minnie. "

"You can't keep them here, then, " I retorted. "They've got to smoke;it's the only work they do. "

"We'll see, " he said quietly. "And--oh, yes, Minnie, now that we shallnot be using the mineral spring--"

"Not use the mineral spring!" I repeated, stupefied. 

"Certainly NOT!" he said. "This is a drugless sanatorium, Minnie, fromnow on. That's part of the theory--no drugs. "

"Well, I'll tell you one thing, " I snapped, "theory or no theory, you'vegot to have drugs. No theory that I ever heard of is going to cure Mr. Moody's indigestion and Miss Cobb's neuralgia. "

"They won't have indigestion and neuralgia. "

"Or Amanda King's toothache. "

"We won't have Amanda King. "

He put his elbow on the stand and smiled at me. 

"Listen, Minnie, " he said. "If you hadn't been wasting your abilities inthe mineral spring, I'd be sorry to close it. But there will be plentyfor you to do. Don't you know that the day of the medicine-closet in thebath-room and the department-store patent-remedy counter is over? We'vegot sanatoriums now instead of family doctors. In other words, we put ingood sanitation systems and don't need the plumber and his repair kit. "

"The pharmacy?" I said between my teeth. 

"Closed also. No medicine, Minnie. That's our slogan. This is the dayof prophylaxis. The doctors have taken a step in the right directionand are giving fewer drugs. Christian Science has abolished drugs andestablished the healer. We simply abolish the healer. "

"If we're not going to use the spring-house, we might have saved theexpense of the new roof in the fall, " I said bitterly. 

"Not at all. For two hours or so a day the spring-house will bea rest-house--windows wide open and God's good air penetrating tofastnesses it never knew before. "

"The spring will freeze!"

"Exactly. My only regret is that it is too small to skate on. Butthey'll have the ice pond. "

"When I see Mr. Moody skating on the ice pond, " I said sarcastically, "I'll see Mrs. Moody dead with the shock on the bank. "

"Not at all, " he replied calmly. "You'll see her skating, too. " And withthat he went to bed. 

CHAPTER XXIV

LIKE DUCKS TO WATER

They took to it like ducks take to water. Not, of course, that theydidn't kick about making their own beds and having military disciplinegenerally. They complained a lot, but when after three days went by withthe railroad running as much on schedule as it ever does, they were allstill there, and Mr. Jennings had limped out and spent a half-hour atthe wood-pile with his gouty foot on a cushion, I saw it was a success. 

I ought to have been glad. I was, although when Mrs. Dicky found theywere all staying, and that she might have to live in the shelter-housethe rest of the winter, there was an awful scene. I was glad, too, everytime I could see Mr. Thoburn's gloomy face, or hear the things he saidwhen his name went up for the military walk. 

(Oh yes, we had a blackboard in the hall, and every morning each guestlooked to see if it was wood-pile day or military-walk day. At first, instead of wood-pile, it was walk-clearing day, but they soon had thesnow off all the paths. )

As I say, I was glad. It looked as if the new idea was a success, although as Doctor Barnes said, nobody could really tell until newpeople began to come. That was the real test. They had turned the bathsinto a gymnasium and they had beginners' classes and advanced classes, and a prize offered on the blackboard of a cigar for the man who madethe most muscular improvement in a week. The bishop won it the firstweek, being the only one who could lie on his back and raise himself toa sitting position without helping himself with his hands. As Mrs. Moodysaid, it would be easy enough if somebody only sat on one's feet to holdthem down. 

But I must say I never got over the shock of seeing the spring-housedrifted with snow, all the windows wide open, the spring frozen hard, and people sitting there during the rest hour, in furs and steamer rugs, trying to play cards with mittens on--their hands, not the cards, ofcourse--and not wrangling. I was lonesome for it!

I hadn't much to do, except from two to four to be at the spring-house, and to count for the deep-breathing exercise. Oh, yes, we had that, too!I rang a bell every half-hour and everybody got up, and I counted slowly"one" and they breathed in through their noses, and "two" and theyexhaled quickly through their mouths. I guess most of them used more oftheir lungs than they ever knew they had. 

Well, everybody looked better and felt better, although they wouldn'tall acknowledge it. Miss Cobb suffered most, not having the fire logto curl her hair with. But as she said herself, between gymnasium andmilitary walks, and the silence hour, and eating, which took a longtime, everybody being hungry--and going to bed at nine, she didn't seehow she could have worried with it, anyhow. The fat ones, of course, objected to an apple and a cup of hot water for breakfast, but exceptMr. Thoburn, they all realized it was for the best. He wasn't there forhis health, he said, having never had a sick day in his life, but whenhe saw it was apple and hot water or leave, he did like Adam--he tookthe apple. 

The strange thing of all was the way they began to look up to Mr. Pierce. He was very strict; if he made a rule, it was obey or leave. (As they knew after Mr. Moody refused to take the military walk, and waspresented with his bill and a railroad schedule within an hour. He hadto take the military walk with Doctor Barnes that afternoon alone. ) Theyhad to respect a man who could do all the things in the gymnasium thatthey couldn't, and come in from a ten or fifteen-mile tramp through thesnow and take a cold plunge and a swim to rest himself. 

It was on Monday that we really got things started, and on Mondayafternoon Miss Summers came out to the shelter-house in a towering rage. 

"Where's Mr. Pierce?" she demanded. 

"I guess you can see he isn't here, " I said. 

"Just wait until I see him!" she announced. "Do you know that I am downon the blackboard for the military walk to-day?

"Why not?"

She turned and glared at me. "Why not?" she repeated. "Why, the audacityof the wretch! He brings me out into the country in winter to play inhis atrocious play, strands me, and then tells me to walk twenty miles aday and smile over it!" She came over to me and shook my arm. "Not onlythat, " she said, "but he has cut out my cigarettes and put Arabella ondog biscuit--Arabella, who can hardly eat a chicken wing. "

"Well, there's something to be thankful for, " I said. "He didn't put youon dog biscuit. "

She laughed then, with one of her quick changes of humor. 

"The worst of it is, " she said, in a confidential whisper, "I'll do it. I feel it. I guess if the truth were known I'm some older than he is, but--I'm afraid of him, Minnie. Little Judy is ready to crawl around andspeak for a cracker or a kind word. Oh, I'm not in love with him, buthe's got the courage to say what he means and do what he says. "

She went to the door and looked back smiling. 

"I'm off for the wood-pile, " she called back. "And I've promised to choptwo inches off my heels. "

As I say, they took to it like ducks to water--except two of them, vonInwald and Thoburn. Mr. Von Inwald stayed on, I hardly know why, but Iguess it was because Mr. Jennings still hadn't done anything final aboutsettlements, and with the newspapers marrying him every day it wasn'tvery comfortable. Next to him, Mr. Thoburn was the unhappiest mortal Ihave ever seen. He wouldn't leave, and with Doctor Barnes carryingout his threat to take six inches off his waist, he stopped measuringwindow-frames with a tape line and took to measuring himself. 

I came across him on Wednesday--the third day--straggling home from themilitary walk. He and Mr. Von Inwald limped across the tennis-court andcollapsed on the steps of the spring-house while the others went on tothe sanatorium. I had been brushing the porch, and I leaned on my broomand looked at them. 

"You're both looking a lot better, " I said. "Not so--well, not sobeer-y. How do you like it by this time?"

"Fine!" answered Mr. Thoburn. "Wouldn't stay if I didn't like it. "

"Wouldn't you?"

"But I'll tell you this, Minnie, " he said, changing his position witha groan to look up at me, "somebody ought to warn that young man. Humannature can stand a lot but it can't stand everything. He's overdoingit!"

"They like it, " I said. 

"They think they do, " he retorted. "Mark my words, Minnie, if he addsanother mile to the walk to-morrow there will be a mutiny. Kingdoms maybe lost by an extra blister on a heel. "

Mr. Von Inwald had been sitting with his feet straight out, scowling, but now he turned and looked at me coolly. 

"All that keeps me here, " he said, "is Minnie's lovely hair. It takes mementally back home, Minnie, to a lovely lady--may I have a bit of it tokeep by me?"

"You may not, " I retorted angrily. 

"Oh! The lovely lady--but never mind that. For the sake of my love foryou, Minnie, find me a cigarette, like a good girl! I am desolate. "

"There's no tobacco on the place, " I said firmly, and went on with mysweeping. 

"When I was a boy, " Mr. Thoburn remarked, looking out thoughtfullyover the snow, "we made a sort of cigarette out of corn-silk. You don'thappen to have any corn-silk about, do you, Minnie?"

"No, " I said shortly. "If you take my advice, Mr. Thoburn, you'll goback to town. You can get all the tobacco you want there--and you'rewasting your time here. " I leaned on my broom and looked down at him, but he was stretching out his foot and painfully working his ankle upand down. 

"Am I?" he asked, looking at his foot. "Well, don't count on it toomuch, Minnie. You always inspire me, and sitting here I've just thoughtof something. "

He got up and hobbled off the porch, followed by Mr. Von Inwald. Isaw him say something to Mr. Von Inwald, who threw back his head andlaughed. Then I saw them stop and shake hands and go on again in deepconversation. I felt uneasy. 

Doctor Barnes came out that afternoon and watched me while I closedthe windows. He had a package in his hand. He sat on the railing of thespring and looked at me. 

"You're not warmly enough dressed for this kind of thing, " he remarked. "Where's that gray rabbits' fur, or whatever it is?"

"If you mean my chinchillas, " I said, "they're in their box. Chinchillasare as delicate as babies and not near so plentiful. I'm warm enough. "

"You look it. " He reached over and caught one of my hands. "Look atthat! Blue nails! It's about four degrees above zero here, and whilethe rest are wrapped in furs and steamer rugs, with hotwater bottles attheir feet, you've got on a shawl. I'll bet you two dollars you haven'tgot on any--er--winter flannels. "

"I never bet, " I retorted, and went on folding up the steamer rugs. 

"I'd like to help, " he said, "but you're so darned capable, MissMinnie--"

"You might see if you can get the slot-machine empty, " I said. "It'sfull of water. It wouldn't work and Mr. Moody thought it was frozen. He's been carrying out boiling water all afternoon. If it stays in thereand freezes the thing will explode. "

He wasn't listening. He'd been fussing with his package and now heopened it and handed it to me, in the paper. 

"It's a sweater, " he said, not looking at me. "I bought it for myselfand it was too small-- Confound it, Minnie, I wish I could lie! I boughtthem for you! There's the whole business--sweater, cap, leggings andmittens. Go on! Throw them at me!"

But I didn't. I looked at them, all white and soft, and it came overme suddenly how kind people had been lately, and how much I'd beengetting--the old doctor's waistcoat buttons and Miss Pat's furs, and nowthis! I just buried my face in them and cried. 

Doctor Barnes stood by and said nothing. Some men wouldn't haveunderstood, but he did. After a minute or so he came over and pulled thesweater out from the bundle. 

"I'm glad you like 'em, " he said, "but as I bought them at Hubbard's, inFinleyville, and as the old liar guaranteed they wouldn't shrink, we'dbetter not cry on 'em. "

Well, I put them on and I was warmer and happier than I had been forsome time. But that night when I went out to the shelter-house withthe supper basket I found both the honeymooners in a wild state ofexcitement. They said that about five o'clock Thoburn had gone out tothe shelter-house and walked all around it. Finally he had stopped atone of the windows of the other room, had worked at it with his penknifeand got it open, and crawled through. They sat paralyzed with fright, and heard him moving around the other room, and he even tried theirdoor. But it had been locked. They hadn't the slightest idea what he wasdoing, but after perhaps ten minutes he went away, going out the doorthis time and taking the key with him. 

Mr. Dick had gone in when he was safely gone, but he could see nothingunusual, except that the door of the cupboard in the corner was standingopen and there was a brand-new, folding, foot rule in it. 

That day the bar was closed for good, and there was a good bit offussing. To add to the trouble, that evening at dinner the pastrieswere cut off, and at eight o'clock a delegation headed by Senator Biggsvisited Mr. Pierce in the office and demanded pastry put back on themenu and the stewed fruit taken off. But Mr. Pierce was firm and theycame out pretty well subdued. It was that night, I think, that candleswere put in the bedrooms, and all the electric lights were turned off atnine-thirty. 

At ten o'clock I took my candle and went to Mr. Pierce's sitting-roomdoor. I didn't think they'd stand much more and I wanted to tell him so. Nobody answered and I opened the door. He was asleep, face down on thehearth-rug in front of the fire. His candle was lighted on the floorbeside him and near it lay a newspaper cutting crumpled in a ball. I picked it up. It was a list of the bridal party for Miss Patty'swedding. 

I dropped it where I found it and went out and knocked again loudly. Hewakened after a minute and came to the door with the candle in his hand. 

"Oh, it's you, Minnie. Come in!"

I went in and put my candle on the table. 

"I've got to talk to you, " I said. "I don't mind admitting things havebeen going pretty well, but--they won't stand for the candles. You markmy words. "

"If they'll stand for the bar being closed, why not the candles?" hedemanded. 

"Well, " I said, "they can't have electric light sent up in boxes andlabeled 'books, ' but they can get liquor that way. "

He whistled, and then he laughed. 

"Then we'll not have any books, " he said. "I guess they can manage. 'Myonly books were woman's looks--'" and then he saw the ball of paper onthe floor and his expression changed. He walked over and picked it up, smoothing it out on the palm of his hand. 

After a minute he looked up at me. 

"I haven't been to the shelter-house to-day. They are all right?"

"They're nervous. With everybody walking these days they daren't venturea nose out of doors. "

He was still holding the clipping. 

"And--Miss Jennings!" he said. "She--I think she looks better. "

"Her father's in a better humor for one thing--says Abraham Lincolnsplit logs, and that it beats massage. "

I had been standing in the doorway, but he took me by the arm and drewme into the room. 

"I wish you'd sit down for about ten minutes, Minnie, " he said. "I guessevery fellow has a time when he's got to tell his troubles to some goodwoman--not but that you know mine already. You're as shrewd as you arekind. "

I sat down on the edge of a chair. For all I had had so much to do withthe sanatorium, I never forgot that I was only the spring-house girl. Hethrew himself back in his easy chair, with the candle behind him on thetable and his arms above his head. 

"It's like this, Minnie, " he said. "Mr. Jennings likes the new order ofthings and--he's going to stay. "

I nodded. 

"And I like it here. I want to stay. It's the one thing I've found thatI think I can do. It isn't what I've dreamed of, but it's worth while. To anchor the derelicts of humanity in a sort of repair dock here, andscrape the barnacles off their dispositions, and send them out shipshapeagain, surely that's something. And I can do it. "

I nodded again. 

"But if the Jenningses stay--" he looked at me. "Minnie, in heaven'sname, what am I going to do if SHE stays?"

"I don't know, Mr. Pierce, " I said. "I couldn't sleep last night forthinking about it. "

He smoothed out the paper and looked at it again, but I think hescarcely saw it. 

"The situation is humorous, " he said, "only my sense of humor seemsto have died. She doesn't know I exist, except to invent new andtroublesome regulations for her annoyance. She is very sweet when shemeets me, but only because I am helping her to have her own way. AndI--my God, Minnie, I sit in the office and listen for her step outside!"

He moved a little and held out the paper in the candle-light. 

"'It will please Americans to know, '" he read, "'that with the exceptionof the Venetian lace robe sent by the bridegroom's mother, all of MissPatricia Jennings' elaborate trousseau is being made in America. 

"'Prince Oskar and his suite, according to present arrangements, willsail from Naples early in March, and the wedding date, although not yetdefinitely fixed, will probably be the first week in April. The weddingparty will include--'"

He stopped there, and looked at me, trying to smile. 

"I knew it all before, " he said, "but there's something inevitable aboutprint. I guess I hadn't realized it. "

He had the same look of wretchedness he'd had the first night I sawhim--a hungry look--and I couldn't help it; I went over to him andpatted him on the head like a little boy. I was only the spring-housegirl, but I was older than he was, and he needed somebody to comforthim. 

"I can't think of anything to say that will help any, " I said, "unlessit's what you wrote yourself on the blackboard down in the hall, 'Keepbusy and you'll keep happy. '"

He reached up for my hand, and rough and red as it was--having been inthe spring for so many years--he kissed it. 

"Good for you, Minnie!" he said. "You're rational, and for a day or soI haven't been. That's right, KEEP BUSY. I'll do it. " He got up and puthis hands on my shoulders. "Good old pal, when you see me going aroundas if all the devils of hell were tormenting me, just come up and saythat to me, will you?"

I promised, and he opened the door, candle in hand, and smiling. 

"I'm a thousand per cent. Better already, " he said. "I just needed totell somebody, I think. I dare say I've made a lot more fuss than itreally deserves. "

At the far end of the hall, a girl came out of one room, and carryinga candle, went across to another. It was Miss Patty, going to bid herfather good night. When I left, he was still staring down the hall afterher, his candle dripping wax on the floor, and his face white. I guesshe hadn't overstated his case. 

CHAPTER XXV

THE FIRST FRUITS

By Friday of that week you would hardly have known any of them. The fatones were thinner and the thin ones fatter, and Miss Julia Summers couldput her whole hand inside her belt. 

And they were pleasant. They'd sit down to a supper of ham and eggs andapple sauce, and yell for more apple sauce, and every evening in thebilliard room they got up two weighing pools, one for the ones whowanted to reduce, and one for the people who wanted to gain. Everybodyput in a dollar, and at gymnasium hour the next morning the ones who'dgained or lost the most won the pool. Mr. Thoburn won the losing pool onThursday and Friday--he didn't want to lose weight, but he was compelledto under the circumstances. And I think worry helped him to it. 

They fussed some still about sleeping with the windows open, especiallythe bald-headed men. However, the bishop, who had been bald for thirtyyears, was getting a fine down all over the top of his head, and thisencouraged the rest. The bishop says it is nature's instinct to protectitself from cold--all animals have fur, and heavier fur in winter--andhe believed that it was the ultimate cure for baldness. Men lose theirhair on top, he said, because they wear hats, and so don't need it. But let the top of the head need protection, and lo, hair comes there. Although, as Mr. Thoburn said, his nose was always cold in winter, andnature never did anything for IT. 

Mr. Von Inwald was still there, and not troubling himself to beagreeable to any but the Jennings family. He and Mr. Pierce carefullyavoided each other, but I knew well enough that only policy kept themapart. Both of them, you see, were working for something. 

Miss Cobb came to the spring-house early Friday morning, and from theway she came in and shut the door I knew she had something on her mind. She walked over to where I was polishing the brass railing around thespring--it had been the habit of years, and not easy to break--and stoodlooking at me and breathing hard. 

"Minnie, " she exclaimed, "I have found the thief!"

"Lord have mercy!" I said, and dropped the brass polish. 

"I have found the thief!" she repeated firmly. "Minnie, our sins alwaysfind us out. "

"I guess they do, " I said shakily, and sat down on the steps to thespring. "Oh, Miss Cobb, if only he would use a little bit of sense!"

"He?" she said. "HE nothing! It's that Summers woman I'm talking about, Minnie. I knew that woman wasn't what she ought to be the minute I seteyes on her. "

"The Summers woman!" I repeated. 

Miss Cobb leaned over the railing and shook a finger in my face. 

"The Summers woman, " she said. "One of the chambermaids found my--myPROTECTORS hanging in the creature's closet!"

I couldn't speak. There had been so much happening that I'd cleanforgotten Miss Cobb and her woolen tights. And now to have them comeback like this and hang themselves around my neck, so to speak--it wastoo much. 

"Per--perhaps they're hers, " I said weakly after a minute. 

"Stuff and nonsense!" declared Miss Cobb. "Don't you think I know myown, with L. C. In white cotton on the band, and my own darning in theknee where I slipped on the ice? And more than that, Minnie, where thosetights are, my letters are!"

I glanced at the pantry, where her letters were hidden on the uppershelf. The door was closed. 

"But--but what would she want with the letters?" I asked, with myteeth fairly hitting together. Miss Cobb pushed her forefinger into myshoulder. 

"To blackmail me, " she said, in a tragic voice, "or perhaps to publish. I've often thought of that myself--they're so beautiful. Letters froma life insurance agent to his lady-love--interesting, you know, andalliterative. As for that woman--!"

"What woman!" said Miss Summers' voice from behind us. We jumped andturned. "I always save myself trouble, so if by any chance you arediscussing me--"

"As it happens, " Miss Cobb said, glaring at her, "I WAS discussing you. "

"Fine!" said Miss Julia. "I love to talk about myself. "

"I doubt if it's an edifying subject, " Miss Cobb snapped. 

Miss Julia looked at her and smiled. 

"Perhaps not, " she said, "but interesting. Don't put yourself out to befriendly to me, Miss Cobb, if you don't feel like it. "

"Are you going to return my letters?" Miss Cobb demanded. 

"Your letters?"

"My letters--that you took out of my room!"

"Look here, " Miss Julia said, still in a good humor, "don't you supposeI've got letters of my own, without bothering with another woman's?"

"Perhaps, " Miss Cobb replied in triumph, "perhaps you will say that youdon't know anything of my--of my black woolen protectors?"

"Never heard of them!" said Miss Summers. "What are they?" And then shecaught my eye, and I guess I looked stricken. "Oh!" she said. 

"Miss Cobb was robbed the other night, " I explained, as quietly as Icould. "Somebody went into her room and took a bundle of letters. "

"Letters!" Miss Summers straightened and looked at me. 

"And my woolen tights, " said Miss Cobb indignantly, "with all this coldweather and military walks, and having to sit two hours a day by an openwindow! And I'll tell you this, Miss Summers, your dog got in my roomthat night, and while I have no suspicions, the chambermaid foundmy--er--missing garment this morning in your closet!"

"I don't believe, " Miss Julia said, looking hard at me, "that Arabellawould steal anything so--er--grotesque! Do you mean to say, " she addedslowly, "that nothing was taken from that room but the--lingerie and abundle of letters?"

"Exactly, " said Miss Cobb, "and I'd thank you for the letters. "

"The letters!" Miss Julia retorted. "I've never been in your room. Ihaven't got the letters. I've never seen them. " Then a light dawned inher face. "I--oh, it's the funniest ever!"

And with that she threw her head back and laughed until the tears rolleddown her cheeks and she held her side. 

"Screaming!" she gasped. "It's screaming! But, oh, Minnie, to have seenyour face!"

Miss Cobb swept to the door and turned in a fury. 

"I do not think it is funny, " she stormed, "and I shall report to Mr. Carter at once what I have discovered. "

She banged out, and Miss Julia put her head on a card-table and writhedwith joy. "To have seen your face, Minnie!" she panted, wiping her eyes. "To have thought you had Dick Carter's letters, that I keep rolledin asbestos, and then to have opened them and found they were to MissCobb!"

"Be as happy as you like, " I snapped, "but you are barking up the wrongtree. I don't know anything about any letters and as far as that goes, do you think I've lived here fourteen years to get into the wrong roomat night? If I'd wanted to get into your room, I'd have found your room, not Miss Cobb's. "

She sat up and pulled her hat straight, looking me right in the eye. 

"If you'll recall, " she said, "I came into the spring-house, andArabella pulled that--garment of Miss Cobb's off a table. It wasearly--nobody was out yet. You were alone, Minnie, or no, " she saidsuddenly, "you were not alone. Minnie, WHO was in the pantry?"

"What has that to do with it?" I managed, with my feet as cold as stone. 

She got up and buttoned her sweater. 

"Don't trouble to lie, " she said. "I can see through a stone wallas well as most people. Whoever got those letters thought they werestealing mine, and there are only two people who would try to steal myletters; one is Dick Carter, and the other is his brother-in-law. Itwasn't Sam in the pantry--he came in just after with his little snip ofa wife. "

"Well?" I managed. 

But she was smiling again, not so pleasantly. 

"I might have known it!" she said. "What a fool I've been, Minnie, andhow clever you are under that red thatch of yours! Dicky can not appearas long as I am here, and Pierce takes his place, and I help to keep thesecret and to play the game! Well, I can appreciate a joke on myself aswell as most people, but--Minnie, Minnie, think of that guilty wretch ofa Dicky Carter shaking in the pantry!"

"I don't know what you are talking about, " I said, but she only winkedand went to the door. 

"Don't take it too much to heart, " she advised. "Too much loyalty isa vice, not a virtue. And another piece of advice, Minnie--when I findDicky Carter, stand from under; something will fall. "

They had charades during the rest hour that afternoon, the overweightsheaded by the bishop, against the underweights headed by Mr. Moody. Theyselected their words from one of Horace Fletcher's books, and as Mr. Pierce wasn't either over or underweight, they asked him to be referee. 

Oh, they were crazy about him by that time. It was "Mr. Carter" here and"dear Mr. Carter" there, with the women knitting him neckties and themen coming up to be bullied and asking for more. 

And he kept the upper hand, too, once he got it. It was that day, Ithink, that he sent Senator Biggs up to make his bed again, and nobodyin the place will ever forget how he made old Mr. Jennings hang hisgymnasium suit up three times before it was done properly. The old manwas mad enough at the time, but inside of twenty minutes he was offeringMr. Pierce the cigar he'd won in the wood-chopping contest. 

But if Mr. Pierce was making a hit with the guests, he wasn't so popularwith the Van Alstynes or the Carters. The night the cigar stand wasclosed Mr. Sam came to me and leaned over the counter. 

"Put the key in a drawer, " he said. "I can slip down here after thelights are out and get a smoke. "

"Can't do it, Mr. Van Alstyne, " I said. "Got positive orders. "

"That doesn't include me. " He was still perfectly good-humored. 

"Sorry, " I said. "Have to have a written order from Mr. Pierce. "

He put a silver dollar on the desk between us and looked at me over it. 

"Will that open the case?" he asked. But I shook my head. 

"Well, I'll be hanged! What the devil sort of order did he give you?"

"He said, " I repeated, "that I'd be coaxed and probably bribed to openthe cigar case, and that you'd probably be the first one to do it, butI was to stick firm; you've been smoking too much, and your nerves aregoing. "

"Insolent young puppy!" he exclaimed angrily, and stamped away. 

So that I was not surprised when on that night, Friday, I was told to beat the shelter-house at ten o'clock for a protest meeting. Mrs. Sam toldme. 

"Something has to be done, " she said. "I don't intend to stand muchmore. Nobody has the right to say when I shall eat or what. If I want toeat fried shoe leather, that's my affair. "

We met at ten o'clock at the shelter-house, everybody having gone tobed--Miss Patty, the Van Alstynes and myself. The Dickys were on goodterms again, for a wonder, and when we went in they were in front of thefire, she on a box and he at her feet, with his head buried in her lap. He didn't even look up when we entered. 

"They're here, Dicky, " she said. 

"All right!" he answered in a smothered voice. "How many of 'em?"

"Four, " she said, and kissed the tip of his ear. 

"For goodness sake, Dick!" Mrs. Sam snapped in a disgusted tone, "stopthat spooning and get us something to sit on. "

"Help yourself, " he replied, still from his wife's lap, "and don't bejealous, sis. If the sight of married happiness upsets you, go away. Goaway, anyhow. "

Mr. Sam came over and jerked him into a sitting position. "Either you'llsit up and take part in this discussion, " he said angrily, "or you'll goout in the snow until it's over. "

Mr. Dick leaned over and kissed his wife's hand. 

"A cruel fate is separating us, " he explained, "but try to endure ituntil I return. I'll be on the other side of the fireplace. "

Miss Patty came to the fire and stood warming her hands. I saw hersister watching her. 

"What's wrong with you, Pat?" she asked. "Oskar not behaving?"

"Don't be silly, " Miss Patty said. "I'm all right. "

"She's worked to death, " Mrs. Sam put in. "Look at all of us. I'll tellyou I'm so tired these nights that by nine o'clock I'm asleep on myfeet. "

"I'm tired to death, but I don't sleep, " Miss Patty said. "I--I don'tknow why. "

"I do, " her sister said. "If you weren't so haughty, Pat, and would justown up that you're sick of your bargain--"

"Dolly!" Miss Patty got red and then white. 

"Oh, all right, " Mrs. Dicky said, and shrugged her shoulders. "Only, Ihate to see you make an idiot of yourself, when I'm so happy. "

Mr. Dick made a move at that to go across the fireplace to her, but Mr. Sam pushed him back where he was. 

"You stay right there, " he said. "Here's Pierce now. "

He came in smiling, and as he stood inside the door, brushing the snowoff, it was queer to see how his eyes went around the circle until he'dfound Miss Patty and stopped at her. 

Nobody answered his smile, and he came over to the fire beside MissPatty. 

"Great night!" he said, looking down at her. "There's somethinginvigorating in just breathing that wind. "

"Do you think so?" Mrs. Sam said disagreeably. "Of course, we haven'tall got your shoulders. "

"That's so, " he answered, turning to her. "I said you women should notcome so far. We could have met in my sitting-room. "

"You forget one thing, " Mr. Dick put in disagreeably, "and that isthat this meeting concerns me, and I can not very well go to YOURsitting-room. "

"Fact, " said Mr. Pierce, "I'd forgotten about you for the moment. "

"You generally do, " Mr. Dick retorted. "If you want the truth, Pierce, I'm about tired of your high-handed methods. "

Mr. Pierce set his jaw and looked down at him. 

"Why? I've saved the place, haven't I? Why, look here, " he said, andpulled out a couple of letters, "these are the first fruits of thosethat weep--in other words, per aspera ad astra! Two new guests comingthe last of the week--want to be put in training!"

Well, that was an argument nobody could find fault with, but theirgrievance was about themselves and they couldn't forgive him. Theyturned on him in the most heartless way--even Miss Patty--and demandedthat he give them special privileges--breakfast when they wanted it, andMr. Sam the key to the bar. And he stood firm, as he had that day in thelobby, and let the storm beat around him, looking mostly at Miss Patty. It was more than I could bear. 

"Shame on all of you!" I said. "He's done what he promised he'd do, andmore. If he did what he ought, he'd leave this minute, and let you findout for yourself what it is to drive thirty-odd different stomachs andthe same number of bad dispositions in one direction. "

"You are perfectly right, Minnie, " Miss Patty said. "We're beastly, all of us, and I'm sorry. " She went over and held out her hand to him. "You've done the impossible, " she told him. He beamed. 

"Your approval means more than anything, " he said, holding her hand. Mrs. Dick sat up and opened her eyes wide. 

"Speaking of Oskar, " she began, and then stopped, staring past hersister, toward the door. 

We all turned, and there, blinking in the light, was Miss Summers. 

CHAPTER XXVI

OVER THE FENCE IS OUT

"WELL!" she said, and stood staring. Then she smiled--I guess our faceswere funny. 

"May I come in?" she asked, and without waiting she came in and closedthe door. "You DO look cozy!" she said, and shook herself free of snow. 

Mr. Dick had turned white. He got up with his eyes on her, and twice heopened his mouth and couldn't speak. He backed, still watching her, tohis wife, and stood in front of her, as if to protect her. 

Mr. Sam got his voice first. 

"B--bad night for a walk, " he said. 

"Frightful!" she said. "I've been buried to my knees. May I sit down?"To those of us who knew, her easy manner had something horrible in it. 

"Sorry there are no chairs, Julia, " Mr. Pierce said. "Sit on the cot, won't you?"

"Who IS it?" Mrs. Dick asked from, as you may say, her eclipse. She andMiss Summers were the only calm ones in the room. 

"I--I don't know, " Mr. Dick stammered, but the next moment Miss Julia, from the cot, looked across at him and grinned. 

"Well, Dicky!" she said. "Who'd have thought it!"

"You said you didn't know her!" his wife said from behind him. 

"Who'd have thought wha--what?" he asked with bravado. 

"All this!" Miss Julia waved her hand around the room, with its barewalls, and blankets over the windows to keep the light in and the coldout, and the circle of us sitting around on sand boxes from the linksand lawn rollers. "To find you here, all snug in your own home, withyour household gods and a wife. " Nobody could think of anything to say. "That is, " she went on, "I believe there is a wife. Good heavens, Dicky, it isn't Minnie?"

He stepped aside at that, disclosing Mrs. Dick on her box, with herchildish eyes wide open. 

"There--there IS a wife, Julia, " he said. "This is her--she. "

Well, she'd come out to make mischief--it was written all over her whenshe came in the door, but when Mr. Dick presented his wife, frightenedas he was and still proud of her, and Mrs. Dick smiled in her prettyway, Miss Summers just walked across and looked down at her with a queerlook on her face. I shut my eyes and waited for the crash, but nothingcame, and when I opened them again there were the two women holdinghands and Miss Summers smiling a sort of crooked grin at Mr. Dick. 

"I ought to be very angry with your husband, " she said. "I--well, Inever expected him to marry without my being among those present. Butsince he has done it--! Dick, you wretched boy, you took advantage of mybeing laid up with the mumps!"

"Mumps!" Mrs. Dick said. "Why, he has just had them himself!" She lookedaround the circle suspiciously, and every one of us looked as guilty asif he had been caught with the mumps concealed around him somewhere. 

"I didn't have real mumps, " Mr. Dick explained. "It was only--er--aswelling. "

"You SAID it was mumps, and even now you hate pickles!"

Mr. Pierce had edged over to Miss Summers and patted her shoulder. 

"Be a good sport, Julia, " he whispered. 

She threw off his hand. 

"I'm being an idiot!" she said angrily. "Dick's an ass, and he's treatedme like a villain, but look at that baby! It will be twenty years beforeshe has to worry about her weight. "

"I never cared for pickles, " Mr. Dick was saying with dignity. "Thedoctor said--"

"I think we'd better be going. " Miss Patty got up and gathered up hercloak. But if she meant to break up the party Miss Summers was notready. 

"If you don't mind, " she said, "I'll stay. I'm frozen, and I've got togo home and sleep with my window up. You're lucky, " she went on to theDickys. "I dare say the air in here would scare us under a microscope, but at least it is warm. "

The Van Alstynes made a move to go, but Mr. Dicky frantically gesturedto them not to leave him alone, and Mrs. Sam sat down again sulkily. Mr. Pierce picked up his cap. 

"I'll take you back, " he said to Miss Patty, and his face was fairlyglowing. But Miss Patty slipped her arm through mine. 

"Come, Minnie, Mr. Pierce is going to take us, " she said. 

"I'd--I'd rather go alone, " I said. 

"Nonsense. "

"I'm not ready. I've got to gather up these dishes, " I objected. 

Out of the corner of my eye I could see the glow dying out of Mr. Pierce's face. But Miss Patty took my arm and led me to the door. 

"Let them gather up their own dishes, " she said. "Dolly, you ought to beashamed to let Minnie slave for you the way she does. Good night, everybody. "

I did my best to leave them alone on the way back, but Miss Patty stuckclose to my heels. It was snowing, and the going was slow. 

For the first five minutes she only spoke once. 

"And so Miss Summers and Dicky Carter are old friends!"

"It appears so, " Mr. Pierce said. 

"She's rather magnanimous, under the circumstances, " Miss Patty remarkeddemurely. 

"Under what circumstances?"

I heard her laugh a little, behind me. 

"Never mind, " she said. "You needn't tell me anything you don't care to. But what a stew you must all have been in!"

There was a minute's silence behind me, and then Mr. Pierce laughed too. 

"Stew!" he said. "For the last few days I've been either paralyzedwith fright or electrified into wild bursts of mendacity. And I'm notnaturally a liar. "

"Really!" she retorted. "What an actor you are!"

They laughed together at that, and I gained a little on them. At thecorner where the path skirted the deer park and turned toward the houseI lost them altogether and I floundered on alone. But I had not gonetwenty feet when I stopped suddenly. About fifty yards ahead a lanternwas coming toward me through the snow, and I could hear a man's voice, breathless and gasping. 

"Set it down, " it said. "The damned thing must be filled with lead. " Itsounded like Thoburn. 

"It's the snow, " another voice replied, Mr. Von Inwald's. "I told you itwould take two trips. "

"Yes, " Thoburn retorted, breathing in groans. "Stay up all night to getthe blamed stuff here, and then get up at dawn for a cold bath anda twenty-mile walk and an apple for breakfast. Ugh, my shoulder isdislocated. "

I turned and flew back to Miss Patty and Pierce. They had stopped in theshelter of the fence corner and Mr. Pierce was on his knees in front ofher! I was so astounded that I forgot for the moment what had broughtme. 

"Just a second, " he was saying. "It's ice on the heel. "

"Please get up off your knees, you'll take cold. "

"Never had a cold. I'll scrape it off with my knife. Why don't you wearovershoes?"

"I never have a cold!" she retorted. "Why, Minnie, is that you?"

"Quick, " I panted. "Thoburn and Mr. Von Inwaldcoming--basket--lantern--warn the shelter-house!"

"Great Scott!" Mr. Pierce said. "Here, you girls crawl over the fence:you'll be hidden there. I'll run back and warn them. "

The lantern was swinging again. Mr. Thoburn's grumbling came to usthrough the snow, monotonous and steady. 

"I can't climb the fence!" Miss Patty said pitifully. But Mr. Pierce hadgone. 

I reached my basket through the bars and climbed the fence in a hurry. Miss Patty had got almost to the top and was standing there on onesnow-covered rail, staring across at me through the darkness. 

"I can't, Minnie, " she whispered hopelessly. "I never could climb afence, and in this skirt--!"

"Quick!" I said in a low tone. The lantern was very close. "Put your legover. "

She did, and sat there looking down at me like a scared baby. 

"Now the other. "

"I--I can't!" she whispered. "If I put them both over I'll fall. "

"Hurry!"

With a little grunt she put the other foot over, sat a minute withagony in her face and her arms out, then she slid off with a squealand brought up in a sitting position inside the fence corner. I droppedbeside her. 

"What was that noise?" said Mr. Thoburn, almost upon us. "Something'smoving inside that fence corner. "

"It's them deers, " Mike's voice this time. We could make out the threefigures. "Darned nuisance, them deers is. They'd have been shot longago if the spring-house girl hadn't objected. She thinks she's the wholecheese around here. "

"Set it down again, " Mr. Von Inwald panted. We heard the rattle ofbottles as they put down the basket, and the next instant Thoburn's fathand was resting on the rail of the fence over our heads. I could feelMiss Patty trembling beside me. 

But he didn't look over. He stood there resting, breathing hard, andswearing at the weather, while Mike waited, in surly silence, and thevon Inwald cursed in German. 

After my heart had been beating in my ears for about three years the fathand moved, and I heard the rattle of glass again and Thoburn's groan ashe bent over his half of the load. 

 "'Come on, my partners in distress, My comrades through this wilderness, '"

he said, and the others grunted and started on. 

When they had disappeared in the snow we got out of our cramped positionand prepared to scurry home. I climbed the fence and looked after them. "Humph!" I said, "I guess that basket isn't for the hungry poor. I'dgive a good bit to know--" Then I turned and looked for Miss Patty. Shewas flat on the snow, crawling between the two lower rails of the fence. 

"Have you no shame?" I demanded. 

She looked up at me with her head and half her long sealskin coatthrough the fence. 

"None, " she said pitifully. "Minnie, I'm stuck perfectly tight!"

"You ought to be left as you are, " I said, jerking at her, "for peopleto come"--jerk--"to-morrow to look at"--jerk. She came through at that, and we lay together in the snow and like to burst a rib laughing. 

"You'll never be a princess, Miss Patty, " I declared. "You're too lowlyminded. "

She sat up suddenly and straightened her sealskin cap on her head. 

"I wish, " she said unpleasantly, "I wish you wouldn't always drag indisagreeable things, Minnie!"

And she was sulky all the way to the house. 

Miss Summers came to my room that night as I was putting my hot-waterbottle to bed, in a baby-blue silk wrapper with a band of fur around thelow neck--Miss Summers, of course, not the hot-water bottle. 

"Well!" she said, sitting down on the foot of the bed and staring at me. "Well, young woman, for a person who has never been farther away thanFinleyville you do pretty well!"

"Do what?" I asked, with the covers up to my chin. 

"Do what, Miss Innocence!" she said mockingly. "You're the onlyred-haired woman I ever saw who didn't look as sophisticated as thedevil. I'll tell you one thing, though. " She reached down into thepocket of her dressing-gown and brought up a cigarette and a match. "Younever had me fooled for a minute!" She looked at me over the match. 

I lay and stared back. 

"And another thing, " she said. "I never had any real intention ofmarrying Dicky Carter and raising a baby sanatorium. I wouldn't have theface to ask Arabella to live here. "

"I'm glad you feel that way, Miss Summers, " I said. "I've gone through alot; I'm an old woman in the last two weeks. My hair's falling from itshaving to stand up on end half the time. "

She leaned over and put her cigarette on the back of my celluloidmirror, and then suddenly she threw back her head and laughed. 

"Minnie!" she said, between fits, "Minnie! As long as I live I'll neverforget that wretched boy's face! And the sand boxes! And the blanketsover the windows! And the tarpaulin over the rafters! And Mr. VanAlstyne sitting on the lawnmower! I'd rather have had my minute in thatdoorway than fifty thousand dollars!"

"If you had had to carry out all those things--" I began, but shechecked me. 

"Listen!" she said. "Somebody with brains has got to take you youngpeople in hand. You're not able to look after yourselves. I'm fond ofAlan Pierce, for one thing, and I don't care to see a sanatorium thatmight have been the child of my solicitude kidnaped and reared as asummer hotel by Papa Thoburn. A good fat man is very, very good, Minnie, but when he is bad he is horrid. "

"It's too late, " I objected feebly. "He can't get it now. "

"Can't he!" She got up and yawned, stretching. "Well, I'll lay youten to one that if we don't get busy he'll have the house empty inthirty-six hours, and a bill of sale on it in as many days. "

The celluloid mirror blazed up at that minute, and she poured thecontents of my water-pitcher over the dresser. For the next hour, whileI was emptying water out of the bureau drawers and hanging up my clothesto dry, she told me what she knew of Thoburn's scheme, and it turned mecold. 

But I went to bed finally. Just as I was dozing off, somebody opened mydoor, and I heard a curious scraping along the floor. I turned on thelight, and there was Arabella, half-dragging and half-carrying a solidsilver hand-mirror with a card on it: "To Minnie, to replace the onethat blew up. J. S. "

CHAPTER XXVII

A CUPBOARD FULL OF RYE

Doctor Barnes came to me at the news stand the next morning beforegymnasium. 

"Well, " he said, "you look as busy as a dog with fleas. Have you heardthe glad tidings?"

"What?" I asked without much spirit. "I've heard considerable tidingslately, and not much of it has cheered me up any. "

He leaned over and ran his fingers up through his hair. 

"You know, Miss Minnie, " he said, "somebody ought kindly to kill ourfriend Thoburn, or he'll come to a bad end. "

"Shall I do it, or will you?" I said, filling up the chewing-gum jar. (Mr. Pierce had taken away the candy case. )

Doctor Barnes glanced around to see if there was any one near, andleaned farther over. 

"The cupboard isn't empty now!" he said. "Not for nothing did I spendpart of the night in the Dicky-bird's nest! By the way, did you everhear that touching story about little Sally walking up and laying anegg?--I see you have. What do you think is in the cupboard?"

"I know about it, " I said shortly. "Liquor--in a case labeled'Books--breakable. '"

"'Sing a song of sixpence, a cupboard full of rye!'" he said. "Almosta goal! But not ONLY liquors, my little friend. Champagne--cases ofit--caviar, canned grouse with truffles, lobster, cheeses, fine cigars, everything you could think of, erotic, exotic and narcotic. An orgy incans and bottles, a bacchanalian revel: a cupboard full of indigestion, joy, forgetfulness and katzenjammer. Oh, my suffering palate, to have toleave it all without one sniff, one sip, one nibble!"

"He's wasting his money, " I said. "They're all crazy about the simplelife. "

He looked around and, seeing no one in the lobby, reached over and tookone of my hands. 

"Strange, " he said, looking at it. "No webs, and yet it's been anamphibious little creature most of its life. My dear girl, ourfriend Thoburn is a rascal, but he is also a student of mankind and aphilosopher. Gee, " he said, "think of a woman fighting her way alonethrough the world with a bit of a fist like that!"

I jerked my hand away. 

"It's like this, my dear, " he said. "Human nature's a curious thing. It's human nature, for instance, for me to be crazy about you, whenyou're as hands-offish as a curly porcupine. And it is human nature, bythe same token, to like to be bullied, especially about health, and torespect and admire the fellow who does the bullying. That's why we werecrazy about Roosevelt, and that's why Pierce is trailing his kinglyrobes over them while they lie on their faces and eat dirt--and stewedfruit. "

He reached for my hand again, but I put it behind me. 

"But alas, " he said, "there is another side to human nature, andour friend Thoburn has not kept a summer hotel for nothing. It isnotoriously weak, especially as to stomach. You may feed 'em prunes andwhole-wheat bread and apple sauce, and after a while they'll forgetthe fat days, and remember only the lean and hungry ones. But let somestudent of human nature at the proper moment introduce just one fat day, one feast, one revel--"

"Talk English, " I said sharply. 

"Don't break in on my flights of fancy, " he objected. "If you want thetruth, Thoburn is going to have a party--a forbidden feast. He's goingto rouse again the sleeping dogs of appetite, and send them raveningback to the Plaza, to Sherry's and Del's and the little Italianrestaurants on Sixth Avenue. He's going to take them up on a highmountain and show them the wines and delicatessen of the earth, andthen ask them if they're going to be bullied into eating boiled beef andcabbage. "

"Then I don't care how soon he does it, " I said despondently. "I'drather die quickly than by inches. "

"Die!" he said. "Not a bit of it. Remember, our friend Pierce is alsoa student of human nature. He's thinking it out now in the cold plunge, and I miss my guess if Thoburn's sky-rocket hasn't got a stick that'llcome back and hit him on the head. "

He had been playing with one of the chewing-gum jars, and when he hadgone I shoved it back into its place. It was by the merest chance that Iglanced at it, and I saw that he had slipped a small white box inside. Iknew I was being a silly old fool, but my heart beat fast when I tookit out and looked at it. On the lid was written "For a good girl, " andinside lay the red puffs from Mrs. Yost's window down in Finleyville. Just under them was an envelope. I could scarcely see to open it. 

"Dearest Minnie, " the note inside said, "I had them matched to my ownthatch, and I think they'll match yours. And since, in the words ofthe great Herbert Spencer, things that match the same thing match eachother--! What do you say?--Barnes. "

"P. S. --I love you. I feel like a damn fool saying it, but heaven knowsit's true. "

"P. P. S. --Still love you. It's easier the second time. "

"N. B. --I love you--got the habit now and can't stop writing it. --B. "

Well, I had to keep calm and attend to business, but I was seethinginside like a Seidlitz powder. Every few minutes I'd reread the letterunder the edge of the stand, and the more I read it the more excitedI got. When a woman's gone past thirty before she gets her firstlove-letter, she isn't sure whether to thank providence or the man, butshe's pretty sure to make a fool of herself. 

Thoburn came to the news stand on his way out with the ice-cutting gangto the pond. 

"Last call to the dining-car, Minnie, " he said. "'Will you--won'tyou--will you--won't you--will you join the dance?'"

"I haven't any reason for changing my plans, " I retorted. "I promisedthe old doctor to stick by the place, and I'm sticking. "

"As the man said when he sat down on the flypaper. You're going by yourheart, Minnie, and not by your head, and in this toss, heads win. "

But with my new puffs on the back of my head, and my letter in mypocket, I wasn't easy to discourage. Thoburn shouldered his pick and, headed by Doctor Barnes, the ice-cutters started out in single file. As they passed the news stand Doctor Barnes glanced at me, and my heartalmost stopped. 

"Do they--is it a match?" he asked, with his eyes on mine. 

I couldn't speak, but I nodded "yes, " and all that afternoon I couldsee the wonderful smile that lit up his face as he went out. It made himalmost good-looking. Oh, there's nothing like love, especially if you'vewaited long enough to be hungry for it, and not spoiled your taste forit by a bite here and a piece of a heart there, beforehand, so to speak. 

Miss Cobb stopped at the news stand on her way to the gymnasium. Shewas a homely woman at any time, and in her bloomers she looked like asoup-bone. Under ordinary circumstances she'd have seen the puffs fromthe staircase and have asked what they cost and told me they didn'tmatch, in one breath. But she had something else on her mind. She paddedover to the counter in her gym shoes, and for once she'd forgotten herlegs. 

"May I speak to you, Minnie?" she asked. 

"You mostly do, " I said. "There isn't a new rule about speaking, isthere?"

"This is important, Minnie, " she said, rolling her eyes around as shealways did when she was excited. "I'm in such a state of ex--I see youbought the puffs! Perhaps you will lend them to me if we arrange for acountry dance. "

"They don't match, " I objected. "They--they wouldn't look natural, MissCobb. "

"They don't look natural on you, either. Do you suppose anybody believesthat the Lord sent you hair in seventeen rows of pipes, so that, red asit is, it looks like an instantaneous water-heater?"

"I'm not lending them, " I said firmly. It would have been like lendingan engagement ring, to my mind. Miss Cobb was not offended. She went atonce to what had brought her, and bent over the counter. 

"Where's the Summers woman?" she asked. 

"In the gym. She's made herself a new gym suit out of her polka dottedsilk, and she looks lovely. "

"Humph!" retorted Miss Cobb. "Minnie, you love Miss Jennings almost likea daughter, don't you?"

"Like a sister, Miss Cobb, " I said. "I'm not feeble yet. "

"Well, you wouldn't want to see her deceived. "

"I wouldn't have it, " I answered. 

"Then what do you call this?" She put a small package on the counter, and stared at me over it. "There's treachery here, black treachery. " Shepointed one long thin forefinger at the bundle. 

"What is it? A bomb?" I asked, stepping back. More than once it hadoccurred to me that having royalty around sometimes meant dynamite. MissCobb showed her teeth. 

"Yes, a bomb, " she said. "Minnie, since that creature took my lettersand my er--protectors, I have suspected her. Now listen. Yesterday Iwent over the letters and I missed one that beautiful one in verse, beginning, 'Oh, creature of the slender form and face!' Minnie, it haddisappeared--melted away. "

"I'm not surprised, " I said. 

"And so, last night, when the Summers woman was out, goodness knowswhere, Blanche Moody and I went through her room. We did not find myprecious missive from Mr. Jones, but we did find these, Minnie, tiedaround with a pink silk stocking. "

"Heavens!" I said, mockingly. "Not a pink silk!"

"Pink, " she repeated solemnly. "Minnie, I have felt it all along. Mr. Oskar von Inwald is the prince himself. "

"No!"

"Yes. And more than that, he is making desperate love to Miss Summers. Three of those letters were written in one day! Why, even Mr. Jones--"

"The wretch!" I cried. I was suddenly savage. I wanted to take Mr. VonInwald by the throat and choke him until his lying tongue was black, toput the letters where Miss Patty could never see them. I wanted--I hadto stop to sell Senator Biggs some chewing-gum, and when he had gone, Miss Cobb was reaching out for the bundle. I snatched it from her. 

"Give me those letters instantly, " she cried shrilly. But I marched frombehind the counter and over to the fireplace. 

"Never, " I said, and put the package on the log. When they were safelyblazing, I turned and looked at Miss Cobb. 

"I'd put my hand right beside those letters to save Miss Patty aheartache, " I said, "and you know it. "

"You're a fool. " She was raging. "You'll let her marry him and have theheartaches afterward. "

"She won't marry him, " I snapped, and walked away with my chin up, leaving her staring. 

But I wasn't so sure as I pretended to be. Mr. Von Inwald and Mr. Jennings had been closeted together most of the morning, and Mr. VonInwald was whistling as he started out for the military walk. It seemedas if the very thing that had given Mr. Pierce his chance to make goodhad improved Mr. Jennings' disposition enough to remove the last barrierto Miss Jennings' wedding with somebody else. 

Well, what's one man's meat is another man's poison. 

CHAPTER XXVIII

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE

Even if we hadn't known, we'd have guessed there was something in theair. There was an air of subdued excitement during the rest hour in thespring-house, and a good bit of whispering and laughing, in groups whichwould break up with faces as long as the moral law the moment they sawmy eye on them. 

They were planning a mutiny, as you may say, and I guess no sailors on apirate ship were more afraid of the captain's fist than they were of Mr. Pierce's disapproval. He'd been smart enough to see that most of them, having bullied other people all their lives, liked the novelty of beingbullied themselves. And now they were getting a new thrill by having arevolt. They were terribly worked up. 

Miss Patty stayed after the others had gone, sitting in front of theempty fireplace in the same chair Mr. Pierce usually took, and keepingher back to me. When I'd finished folding the steamer rugs and puttingthem away, I went around and stood in front of her. 

"Your eyes are red, " I remarked. 

"I've got a cold. " She was very haughty. 

"Your nose isn't red, " I insisted. "And, anyhow, you say you never havea cold. "

"I wish you would let me alone, Minnie. " She turned her back to me. "Idare say I may have a cold if I wish. "

"Do you know what they are saying here?" I demanded. "Do you know thatMiss Cobb has found out in some way or other who Mr. Von Inwald is?And that the four o'clock gossip edition says your father has given hisconsent and that you can go and buy a diadem or whatever you are goingto wear, right off?"

"Well, " she said, in a choked voice, with her back to me, "what of it?Didn't you and Mr. Pierce both do your best to bring it about?"

"Our what?" I couldn't believe my ears. 

"You made father well. He's so p--pleasant he'll do anything exceptleave this awful place!"

"Well, of all the ungrateful people--" I began, and then Mr. Pierce camein. He had a curious way of stopping when he saw her, as if she justtook the wind out of his sails, so to speak, and then of whipping offhis hat, if anything with sails can wear a hat, and going up to herwith his heart in his eyes. He always went straight to her and stoppedsuddenly about two feet away, trying to think of something ordinary tosay. Because the extraordinary thing he wanted to say was always on theend of his tongue. 

But this day he didn't light up when he saw her. He went through allthe other motions, but his mouth was set in a straight line, and when hecame close to her and looked down his eyes were hard. 

It's been my experience of men that the younger they are the harder theytake things and the more uncompromising they are. It takes a good manyyears and some pretty hard knocks to make people tolerant. 

"I was looking for you, " he said to her. "The bishop has just told me. There are no obstacles now. "

"None, " she said, looking up at him with wretchedness in her eyes, if hehad only seen. "I am very happy. "

"She was just saying, " I said bitterly, "how grateful she was to both ofus. "

"I don't understand. "

"It is not hard to understand, " she said, smiling. I wanted to slap her. "Father was unreasonable because he was ill. You have made him well. Ican never thank you enough. "

But she rather overdid the joy part of it, and he leaned over and lookedin her face. 

"I think I'm stupid, " he said. "I know I'm unhappy. But isn't that whatI was to do--to make them well if I could?"

"How could anybody know--" she began angrily, and then stopped. "Youhave done even more, " she said sweetly. "You've turned them intocherubims and seraphims. Butter wouldn't melt in their mouths. Ugh! HowI hate amiability raised to the NTH power!"

He smiled. I think it was getting through his thick man's skull that shewasn't so happy as she should have been, and he was thrilled through andthrough. 

"My amiability must be the reason you dislike me!" he suggested. Theyhad both forgotten me. 

"Do I dislike you?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. "I never reallythought about it, but I'm sure I don't. " She didn't look at him, shelooked at me. She knew I knew she lied. 

His smile faded. 

"Well, " he said, "speaking of disliking amiability, you don't hateyourself, I'm sure. "

"You are wrong, " she retorted, "I loathe myself. " And she walked to thewindow. He took a step or two after her. 

"Why do it at all?" he asked in a low tone. "You don't love him--youcan't. And if it isn't love--" He remembered me suddenly and stopped. 

"Please go on, " she said sweetly from the window. "Do not mind Minnie. She is my conscience, anyhow. She is always scolding me; you might bothscold in chorus. "

"I wouldn't presume to scold. "

"Then give me a little advice and look superior and righteous. I'maccustomed to that also. "

"As long as you are in this mood, I can't give you anything but a verygood day, " he said angrily, and went toward the door. But when he hadalmost reached it he turned. 

"I will say this, " he said, "you have known for three days that Mr. Thoburn was going to have a supper to-night, and you didn't let us know. You must have known his purpose. "

I guess I was as surprised as she was. I'd never suspected she knew. 

She looked at him over her shoulder. 

"Why shouldn't he have a supper?" she demanded angrily. "I'mstarving--we're all starving for decent food. I'm kept here against mywill. Why shouldn't I have one respectable meal? You with your wretchedstewed fruits and whole-wheat breads! Ugh!"

"I'm sorry. Thoburn's idea, of course, is to make the guestsdiscontented, so they will leave. "

"Oh!" she said. She hadn't thought of that, and she flushed. "At least, "she said, "you must give me credit for not trying to spoil Dick andDolly's chance here. "

"We are going to allow the party to go on, " he said, still stiff anduncompromising. It would have been better if he'd accepted her bit ofapology. 

"How kind of you! I dare say he would have it, anyhow. " She wassarcastic again. 

"Probably. And you--will go?"

"Certainly. "

"Even when the result--"

"Oh, don't preach!" she said, putting her hands to her ears. "If you andMinnie want to preach, why don't you preach at each other? Minnie talks'love, love, love. ' And you preach health and morality. You drive mecrazy between you. "

"Suppose, " he said with a gleam in his eyes, "suppose I preach 'love, love, love!'"

She put her fingers in her ears again. "Say it to Minnie, " she cried, and turned her back to him. 

"Very well, " he said. "Minnie, Miss Jennings refuses to listen, andthere are some things I must say. Once again I am going to register aprotest against her throwing herself away in a loveless marriage. I--Ifeel strongly on the subject, Minnie. "

She half turned, as if to interrupt. Then she thought better of it andkept her fingers in her ears, her face flushed. But he had learned whathe hoped--that she could hear him. 

"You ask me why I feel so strongly, Minnie, and you are right to ask. Under ordinary circumstances, Minnie, any remark of mine on the subjectwould be ridiculous impertinence. "

He stopped and eyed her back, but she did not move. 

"It is impertinence under any circumstances, but consider theprovocation. I see a young, beautiful and sensitive girl, marrying, frankly without love, a man whom I know to be unworthy, and you ask meto stand aside and allow it to happen!"

"Are you still preaching?" she asked coldly over her shoulder. "It mustbe a long sermon. "

And then, knowing he had only a moment more, his voice changed andbecame deep and earnest. His hands, that were clutching a chair-back, took a stronger hold, so that the ends of the nails were white. 

"You see, Minnie, " he said, turning a little pale, "I--I love MissJennings myself. You have known it a long time, for you love her, too. It has come to the point that I measure the day by the hours when I cansee her. She doesn't care for me; sometimes I think she hates me. " Hepaused here, but Miss Patty didn't move. "I haven't anything to offera woman except a clean life and the kind of love that a woman could beproud of. I have no title--"

Miss Patty suddenly took her fingers out of her ears and turned around. She was flushed and shaken, but she looked past him without blinking aneyelash to me. 

"Dear me, " she said, "the sermon must have been exciting, Minnie! Youare quite trembly!"

And with that she picked up her muff and went out, with not a glance athim. 

He looked at me. 

"Well, " he said, "THAT'S over. She's angry, Minnie, and she'll neverforgive me. "

"Stuff!" I snapped, "I notice she waited to hear it all, and no realwoman ever hated a man for saying he loved her. "

CHAPTER XXIX

A BIG NIGHT TO-NIGHT

I carried out the supper to the shelter-house as usual that night, butI might have saved myself the trouble. Mrs. Dicky was sitting on a box, with her hair in puffs and the folding card-table before her, and Mr. Dick was uncorking a bottle of champagne with a nail. There were two orthree queer-smelling cans open on the table. 

Mrs. Dick looked at my basket and turned up her nose. 

"Put it anywhere, Minnie, " she said loftily, "I dare say it doesn'tcontain anything reckless. "

"Cold ham and egg salad, " I said, setting it down with a slam. "Stewedprunes and boiled rice for dessert. If those cans taste as they smell, you'd better keep the basket to fall back on. Where'd you get THAT?"Mr. Dick looked at me over the bottle and winked. "In the next room, "he said, "iced to the proper temperature, paid for by somebody else, andcoming after a two-weeks' drought! Minnie, there isn't a shadow on myjoy!"

"He'll miss it, " I said. But Mr. Dick was pouring out three largetumblersful of the stuff, and he held one out to me. 

"Miss it!" he exclaimed. "Hasn't he been out three times to-day, tappinghis little CACHE? And didn't he bring out Moody and the senator and vonInwald this afternoon, and didn't they sit in the next room there fromtwo to four, roaring songs and cracking bottles and jokes. "

"Beasts!" Mrs. Dicky said savagely. "Two hours, and we daren't move!"

"Drink, pretty creature!" Mr. Dick said, motioning to my glass. "Don'tbe afraid of it, Minnie; it's food and drink. "

"I don't like it, " I said, sipping at it. "I'd rather have the springwater. "

"You'll have to cultivate a taste for it, " he explained. "You'll likethe second half better. "

I got it down somehow and started for the door. Mr. Dick came after mewith something that smelled fishy on the end of a fork. 

"Better eat something, " he suggested. "That was considerable champagne, Minnie. "

"Stuff and nonsense, " I said. "I was tired and it has rested me. That'sall, Mr. Dick. "

"Sure?"

"Certainly, " I said with dignity, "I'm really rested, Mr. Dick. Andhappy--I'm very happy, Mr. Dick. "

"Perhaps I'd better close the door, " he said. "The light may be seen--"

"You needn't close it until I've finished talking, " I said. "I've donemy best for you and yours, Mr. Dick. I hope you appreciate it. Nightafter night I've tramped out here through the snow, and lost sleep, andlied myself black in the face--you've no idea how I've had to lie, Mr. Dick. "

"Come in and shut the door, Dick, " Mrs. Dick called, "I'm freezing. "

That made me mad. 

"Exactly, " I said, glaring at her through the doorway. "Exactly--I canwade through the snow, bringing you meals that you scorn--oh, yes, youscorn them. What did you do to the basket tonight? Look at it, lyingthere, neglected in a corner, with p--perfectly good ham and stewedfruit in it. "

All of a sudden I felt terrible about the way they had treated thebasket, and I sat down on the steps and began to cry. I remember that, and Mr. Dick sitting down beside me and putting his arm around me andcalling me "good old Minnie, " and for heaven's sake not to cry so loud. But I was past caring. I had a sort of recollection of his getting me tostand up, and our walking through about twenty-one miles of snow to thespring-house. When we got there he stood off in the twilight and lookedat me. 

"I'm sorry, Minnie, " he said, "I never dreamed it would do that. "

"Do what?"

"Nothing. You're sure you won't forget?"

"I never forget, " I said. I had got up the steps by this time and wastrying to figure why the spring-house door had two knobs. 

I hadn't any idea what he meant. 

"Remember, " he said, very slowly, "Thoburn is going to have hisparty to-night instead of to-morrow. Tell Pierce that. To-night, notto-morrow. " I was pretty well ashamed when I got in the spring-house andsat down in the dark. I kept saying over and over to myself, so I'd notforget, "tonight, not to-morrow, " but I couldn't remember WHAT was to beto-night. I was sleepy, too, and my legs were cold and numb. I remembergoing into the pantry for a steamer rug, and sitting down there for aminute, with the rug around my knees before I started to the house. Andthat is all I DO remember. 

I was wakened by a terrible hammering in the top of my head. I reachedout for the glass of water that I always put beside my bed at night andI touched a door-knob instead. Then I realized that the knocking wasn'tall in my head. There was a sort of steady movement of feet on the otherside of the door, with people talking and laughing. And above it allrose the steady knock--knock of somebody beating on tin. 

"Can't do it. " It was the bishop's voice. "I am convinced that nothingbut dynamite will open this tin of lobster. "

"Just a moment, Bishop, " Mr. Thoburn's voice and the clink of bottles, "I have a can opener somewhere. You'll find the sauce a la Newburg--"

"Here, somebody, a glass, quick! A bottle's broken!"

"Did anybody remember to bring salt and pepper?"

"DEAR Mr. Thoburn!" It sounded like Miss Cobb. "Think of thinking of allthis!"

"The credit is not mine, dear lady, " Mr. Thoburn said. "Where the deuceis that corkscrew? No, dear lady, man makes his own destiny, but hisbirth date remains beyond his control. "

"Ladies and gentlemen, " somebody said, "to Mr. Thoburn's birthday beingbeyond his control!"

There was the clink of glasses, but I had remembered what it had beenthat I was to remember. And now it was too late. I was trapped in thepantry of my spring-house and Mr. Pierce was probably asleep. I clutchedmy aching head and tried to think. I was roused by hearing somebody saythat Miss Jennings had no glass, and by steps nearing the pantry. I hadjust time to slip the bolt. 

"Pantry's locked!" said a voice. 

"Drat that Minnie!" somebody else said. "The girl's a nuisance. "

"Hush!" Miss Summers said. "She's probably in there now--taking downwhat we say and what we eat. Convicting us out of our own mouths. "

I held my breath and the knob rattled. Then they found a glass for MissPatty and forgot the pantry. 

Under cover of the next burst of noises I tried the pantry window, butit was frozen shut. Nothing but a hammer would have loosened it. I beganto dig at it with a wire hairpin, but I hadn't much hope. 

The fun in the spring-house was getting fast and furious. Miss Summerswas leaning against the pantry door and I judged that most of the menin the room were around her, as usual. I put my ear to the panel ofthe door, and I could pretty nearly see what was going on. They weretoasting Mr. Thoburn, and getting hungrier every minute as the supperwas put out on the card-tables. 

"To the bottle!" somebody said. "In infancy, the milk bottle; in ourprime, the wine bottle; in our dotage, the pill bottle. "

Mr. Von Inwald came over and stood beside Miss Summers, and I could hearevery whisper. 

"I have good news for you, " she said in an undertone. 

"Oh! And what?"

"Sh! You may recall, " she said, "the series of notes, letters, epistles, with which you have been honoring me lately?"

"How could I forget? They were written in my heart's blood!"

"Indeed!" Her voice lifted its eyebrows, so to speak. "Well, somebodygot in my room last night and stole I dare say a pint of your heart'sblood. They're gone. "

He was pretty well upset, as he might be, and she stood by and listenedto the things he said, which, if they were as bad in English as theysounded in German, I wouldn't like to write down. 

And when he cooled down and condensed, as you may say, into English, he said Miss Jennings must have seen the letters, for she would hardlyspeak to him. And Miss Summers said she hoped Miss Jennings had--she wastoo nice a girl to treat shamefully. 

And after he had left her there alone, I heard a sort of scratchingon the door behind Miss Summers' back, and then something being shovedunder the door. I stooped down and picked it up. It was a key!

I struck a match, and I saw by the tag that it was the one to the olddoctor's rooms. I knew right off what it meant. Mr. Pierce had gone tobed, or pretended to throw them off the track and Thoburn had locked himin! Thoburn hadn't taken any chances. He knew the influence Mr. Piercehad over them all, and he and his champagne and tin cans had to get intheir work before Mr. Pierce had another chance at them. 

I had no time to wonder how Miss Summers knew I was in the pantry. I tried the window again, but it wouldn't work. Somebody in thespring-house was shouting, "'Hot butter blue beans, please come tosupper!'" and I could hear them crowding around the tables. I workedfrantically with the hairpin, and just then two shadowy figures outsideslipped around the corner of the building. It was Mr. Pierce and DoctorBarnes!

I darted back and put my ear to the door, but they did not come in atonce. Mr. Thoburn made a speech, saying how happy he was that they wereall well and able to go back to civilization again, where the broiledlobster flourished like a green bay tree and the prune and the cabbagewere unknown. 

There was loud applause, and then Senator Biggs cleared his throat. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished fellow guests, " he began, "Isuggest a toast to the autocrat of Hope Springs. It is the only blot onthe evening, that, owing to the exigencies of the occasion, he can notbe with us. Securely fastened in his room, he is now sleeping the sleepthat follows a stomach attuned to prunes, a mind attuned to rule. "

"Eat, drink and be merry!" somebody said, "for to-morrow you diet!"

There was a swish and rustle, as if a woman got up in a hurry. 

"Do you mean, " said Miss Patty's clear voice, "that you have dared tolock Mr. Pier--Mr. Carter in his room?"

"My dear young lady, " several of them began, but she didn't give themtime. 

"It is outrageous, infamous!" she stormed. I didn't need to see her toknow how she looked. 

"How DARE you! Suppose the building should catch fire!"

"Fire!" somebody said in a bewildered voice. "My dear young lady--"

"Don't 'my dear young lady' me, " she said angrily. "Father, Bishop, willyou stand for this? Why, he may jump out the window and hurt himself!Give me the key!"

Miss Julia's fingers were beating a tatoo behind her, as if she wasafraid I might miss it. 

"If he jumps out he probably will hurt himself. It is impossible torelease him now, Miss Jennings, but if you insist we can have a mattressplaced under the window. "

"Thanks, Thoburn. It won't be necessary. " The voice came from the door, and a hush fell on the party. I slipped my bolt and peeped out. Framedin the doorway was Mr. Pierce, with Doctor Barnes looking over hisshoulder. 

The people in the spring-house were abject. That's the only word for it. Craven, somebody suggested later, and they were that, too. They smiledsickly grins and tried to be defiant, and most of them tried to put downwhatever they held in their hands and to look innocent. If you ever sawa boy when his school-teacher asks him what he has in his mouth, andmultiply the boy thirty times in number and four times in size, you'llknow how they looked. 

Mr. Pierce never smiled. He wouldn't let them speak a word in defenseor explanation. He simply lined them up as he did at gym, and sent them, one by one, to the corner with whatever they had in their hands. Hemade Mr. Jennings give up a bottle of anchovies that he'd stuffed in hispocket, and the bishop had to come over with a cheese. 

And when it was all over, he held the door open and they went backto the house. They fairly ducked past him in the doorway, although hehadn't said a dozen words. It was a rout. The backbone of the rebellionwas broken. I knew that never again would the military discipline ofHope Springs be threatened. Thoburn might as well pack and go. It wasMr. Pierce's day. 

Mr. Von Inwald was almost the last. He stood by, sneering, with an openbottle of olives in his hand, watching the others go out. 

Mr. Pierce held the door open and eyed him. 

"I'll trouble you to put that bottle with the others, in the corner, "Mr. Pierce said sternly. 

They stood glaring at each other angrily. 

"And if I refuse?"

"You know the rules here. If you refuse, there is a hotel atFinleyville. "

Mr. Von Inwald glanced past Mr. Pierce to where Doctor Barnes stoodbehind him, with his cauliflower ear and his pugilist's shoulders. Thenhe looked at the bottle in his hand, and from it to Miss Patty, standinghaughtily by. 

"I have borne much for you, Patricia, " he said, "but I refuse to bebullied any longer. I shall go to the hotel at Finleyville, and I shalltake the little olives with me. " He smiled unpleasantly at Mr. Pierce, whose face did not relax. 

He walked jauntily to the door and turned, flourishing the bottle. "Theland of the free and the home of the brave!" he sneered, raising thebottle in the air. Standing jeering in the doorway, he bowed to MissPatty and Mr. Pierce, and put an olive into his mouth. 

But instantly he made a terrible face, and clapped a hand just in frontof his left ear. He stood there a moment, his face distorted--then hedarted into the night, and I never saw him again. 

"Mumps!" Doctor Barnes ejaculated, and stood staring after him from thesteps. 

CHAPTER XXX

LET GOOD DIGESTION

There was no one left but Miss Patty. As she started out past him witha crimson spot in each cheek Mr. Pierce put his hand on her arm. Shehesitated, and he closed the door on Doctor Barnes and put his backagainst it. I had just time to slip back into the pantry and shut myselfin. 

For a minute there wasn't a sound. Then--

"I told you I should come, " Miss Patty said, in her haughtiest manner. "You need not trouble to be disagreeable. "

"Disagreeable!" he repeated. "I am abject!"

"I don't understand, " she said. "But you needn't explain. It really doesnot matter. "

"It matters to me. I had to do this to-night. I promised you I wouldmake good, and if I had let this pass--Don't you see, I couldn't let itgo. "

"You can let me go, now. "

"Not until I have justified myself to you. "

"I am not interested. "

I heard him take a step or two toward her. 

"I don't quite believe that, " he said in a low tone. "You wereinterested in what I said here this afternoon. "

"I didn't hear it. "

"None of it?"

"Not--not all. "

"I spoke, you remember, about your sister, and about Dick--" he paused. I could imagine her staring at him in her wide-eyed way. 

"You never mentioned them!" she said scornfully and stopped. He laughed, a low laugh, boyish and full of triumph. 

"Ah!" he said. "So you DID hear! I'm going to say it again, anyhow. Ilove you, Patty. I'm--I'm mad for you. I've loved you hopelessly for solong that to-night, when there's a ray of hope, I'm--I'm hardly sane. I--"

"Please!" she said. 

"I love you so much that I waken at night just to say your name, overand over, and when dawn comes through the windows--"

"You don't know what you are saying!" she said wildly. "I am--still--"

"I welcome the daylight, " he went on, talking very fast, "because itmeans another day when I can see you. If it sounds foolish, it's--it'sreally lots worse than it sounds, Patty. "

The door opened just then, and Doctor Barnes' voice spoke from the step. 

"I say, " he complained, "you needn't--"

"Get out!" Mr. Pierce said angrily, and the door slammed. The second'sinterruption gave him time, I think, to see how far he'd gone, and hisvoice, when he spoke again, was not so hopeful. 

"I'm not pleading my cause, " he said humbly, "I know I haven't anycause. I have nothing to offer you. "

"You said this afternoon, " Miss Patty said softly, "that you could offerme the--the kind of love that a woman could be proud of. "

She finished off with a sort of gasp, as if she was shocked at herself. I was so excited that my heart beat a tatoo against my ribs, and withoutmy being conscious of it, as you may say, the pantry door opened aboutan inch and I found myself with an eye to the crack. 

They were standing facing each other, he all flushed and eager and mydear Miss Patty pale and trembly. But she wasn't shy. She was lookingstraight into his eyes and her blessed lips were quivering. 

"How can you care?" she asked, when he only stood and looked at her. "I've been such a--such a selfish beast!"

"Hush!" He leaned toward her, and I held my breath. "You are everythingthat is best in the world, and I--what can I offer you? I have nothing, not even this sanatorium! No money, no title--"

"Oh, THAT!" she interrupted, and stood waiting. "Well, you--you could atleast offer yourself!"

"Patty!"

She went right over to him and put her hands on his shoulders. 

"And if you won't, " she said, "I'll offer myself instead!"

His arms went around her like a flash at that, and he kissed her. I'veseen a good many kisses in my day, the spring-house walk being a sortof lover's lane, but they were generally of the quick-get-away variety. This was different. He just gathered her up to him and held her close, and if she was one-tenth as much thrilled as I was in the pantry she'dbe ready to die kissing. 

Then, without releasing her, he raised his head, with such a look ofvictory in his face that I still see it sometimes in my sleep, and hiseye caught mine through the crack. 

But if I'd looked to see him drop her I was mistaken. He drew her up andkissed her again, but this time on the forehead. And when he'd let hergo and she had dropped into a chair and hid her shining face against theback, as if she was ashamed, which she might well be, he stood laughingover her bent head at me. 

"Come out, Minnie!" he called. "Come out and hear the good news!"

"Hear!" I said, "I've seen all the news I want. "

"Gracious!" Miss Patty said, and buried her head again. But he hadreached the shameless stage; a man who is really in love always seems toget to that point sooner or later. He stooped and kissed the back of herneck, and if his hand shook when he pushed in one of her shell hairpinsit was excitement and not fright. 

"I hardly realize it, Minnie, " he said. "I don't deserve her for aminute. "

"Certainly not, " I said. 

"He does. " Miss Patty's voice smothered. Then she got up and came overto me. 

"There is going to be an awful fuss, Minnie, " she said. "Think of AuntHonoria--and Oskar!"

"Let them fuss!" I said grandly. "If the worst comes, you can spend yourhoneymoon in the shelter-house. I'm so used to carrying meals there nowthat it's second nature. "

And at that they both made for me, and as Mr. Pierce kissed me DoctorBarnes opened the door. He stood for a moment, looking queer and wild, and then he slammed the door and we heard him stamping down the steps. 

Mr. Pierce had to bring him back. 

Well, that's all there is to it. The place filled up and stayed filled, but not under Mr. Pierce. Mr. Jennings said ability of his kind waswasted there, once the place was running, and set him to building arailroad somewhere or other, with him and Miss Patty living in a privatecar, and he carrying a portable telephone with him so he can talk to herevery hour or so. Mr. Dick and his wife are running the sanatorium, orthink they are. Doctor Barnes is the whole place, really. Mr. Jenningswas so glad to have Miss Patty give up the prince and send him backhome, after he'd been a week in the hotel at Finleyville looking as ifhis face would collapse if you stuck a pin in it--Mr. Jennings was sohappy, not to mention having worked off his gout at the wood-pile, thathe forgave the Dickys without any trouble, and even went out and had ameal with them in the shelter-house before they moved in, with Mr. Dickmaking the coffee. 

I miss the spring, as I said at the beginning. It is hard to teach anold dog new tricks, but with Miss Patty happy, and with Doctor Barnesaround--

Thoburn came out the afternoon before he left, just after the rest hour, and showed me how much too loose his waistcoat had become. 

"I've lost, Minnie, " he confessed. "Lost fifteen pounds and the dream ofmy life. But I've found something, too. "

"What?"

"My waist line!" he said, and threw his chest out. 

"You look fifteen years younger, " I said, and at that he came over to meand took my hand. 

"Minnie, " he said, "maybe you and I haven't always agreed, but I'vealways liked you, Minnie--always. "

"Thanks, " I said, taking my hand away. 

"You've got all kinds of spirit, " he said. "You've saved the place, allright. And if you--if you tire of this, and want another home, I've gotone, twelve rooms, center hall, tiled baths, cabinet mantels--I'd begood to you, Minnie. The right woman could do anything with me. "

When I grasped what he meant, I was staggered. 

"I'm sorry, " I explained, as gently as I could. "I'm--I'm going to marryDoctor Barnes one of these days. "

He stared at me. Then he laughed a little and went toward the door. 

"Barnes!" he said, turning. "Another redhead, by gad! Well, I'll tellyou this, young woman, you're red, but he's redder. Your days forrunning things to suit yourself are over. "

"I'm glad of it, " I retorted. "I want to be managed myself for a change. Somebody, " I said, "who won't be always thinking how he feels, unlessit's how he feels toward me. "

"Bah! He'll bully you. "

"'It's human nature to like to be bullied, '" I quoted. "And I guess I'mnot afraid. He's healthy and a healthy man's never a crank. "

"A case of yours for health, eh?" he said, and held out his hand. 

THE END