od calmly in the
door and looked at the pair of children with happy but quizzical eyes.

"It's just as well you got Tom Mayberry straightened out quick,
Elinory," she remarked in her most jovial tone. "I've been getting
madder and madder as I put Martin Luther to bed and though I ain't
never had to whip him yet, I'd just about made up my mind to ask him
out in the barn and dress him down for onct. Now are you well over your
tantrum, sir?" she demanded as she eyed the shamefaced young Doctor
delightedly.

"Mother!" he exclaimed as he turned his head away and the color rose
under his tan.

"Have you done made up your mind to travel from town to town with
Elinory and take in the tickets at the door and make yourself useful to
her the rest of your life? Are you a-going to follow her peaceable all
over Europe, Asia and Africa?" And her eyes fairly over-danced
themselves with delight.

"Mother!" and this time the exclamation came from Miss Wingate as she
came over to rest her cheek against Mother Mayberry's arm. She also
blushed, but her eyes danced with an echo of the young Doctor's
mother's laugh as she beheld his embarrassment.

"Yes," answered the Doctor, rallying at last, "yes, I'm ready to go
with her. Will you go too, Mother, as retained physician?"

"Well, I don't know about that," answered his Mother with a laugh; "not
till 'Liza Pike have growed up to take my place here. But I'm mighty
glad to see you take your dose of humble pie so nice, Tom, and I reckon
I'll have to tell you how happy I am about my child here. It was kinder
smart of you to cure her and then claim her sweet self as a fee, wasn't
it?"

"I do feel that way, Mother, and I don't see how I can let her make the
sacrifice. Her future is so brilliant and I--I--"

"Son," said Mother Mayberry with the banter all gone from her rich
voice and the love fairly radiating from her face as she laid a tender
hand on the singer lady's dark head on her shoulder, "I don't have to
ask my honey-bird the choice she have made. A woman don't want to wear
her life-work like no jewelry harness nor yet no sacrificial garment,
but she loves to clothe herself in it like it were a soft-colored,
homespun dress to cover the pillow of her breast and the cradle of her
arms to hold the tired folks against. Take her to India's coral strand
if you must, for it's gave a wife to follow the husband-star. Long ago
I vowed you to the Master's high call and now with these words I