you ever
think of that?"

Ralph never had, and as a man now came up to talk to him about hay, the
dog and everything connected with it passed out of his mind.

When Miss Panney reached home after her abrupt parting from Dora
Bannister, she took a dose of the last medicine that Dr. Tolbridge had
prescribed for her. It was against her rules to use internal medicines,
but she made exceptions on important occasions, and as this was a remedy
for the effects of anger, she had taken it before and she took it now.
Then she went to bed and there she stayed until three o'clock the next
afternoon. This greatly disturbed the Wittons, for they had always
believed that this hearty old lady would not be carried off by any
disease, but when her time had come would simply take to her bed and die
there, after the manner of elderly animals.

About the middle of the afternoon Mrs. Witton came up into her room. She
did not do this often, for the old lady had always made everybody in the
house understand that this room was her castle, and when any one was
wanted there, he or she would be summoned.

"You must be feeling very badly," said the meek and anxious Mrs. Witton
"don't you think it would be better to send for a doctor?"

"There is no doctor," said Miss Panney, shortly.

"Oh yes," said the other, "there are several excellent doctors in
Thorbury, and Dr. Parker takes all of Dr. Tolbridge's practice while
he is away."

"Stuff!" remarked Miss Panney. "I spanked Dr. Parker, when he wore
little frocks, for running his tin wheelbarrow against me so that I
nearly fell over it."

"But he has learned a great deal since then," pleaded Mrs. Witton "and if
you do not want any new doctors, isn't there something I can do for you?
If you will tell me how you feel, it may be that some sort of herb
tea--or a mustard plaster--"

"Gammon and spinach!" cried Miss Panney, throwing off the bedclothes as
if she were about to spring into the middle of the floor. "I want no teas
nor plasters. I have had as much sleep as I care for, and now I am going
to get up. So trot downstairs, if you please, and tell Margaret to bring
me up some hot water."

For an hour or two before supper time, Miss Panney occupied herself in
clearing out her medicine closet. Every bottle, jar, vial, box, or
package it contained was placed upon a large table and divided into two
collections. One consisted of the lotions and medicines prescribed for
her by Dr. Tolbridge, and