t!" she purrs. "Now, 'Evil and fear and pain are the creatures
of darkness.' Go on!"

"Sure thing!" says I. "'Evil and fear and----Ouch!"

Ever feel one of them last gasps that a nerve gives when it goes out of
business? I thought the top of my head was comin' off. But it didn't, and
a couple of seconds later I knew the jumpin' was all over; so I
straightens my face out, and we proceeds with the catechism.

It was a bird, too. I didn't mind doin' it at all with Miss Lee there to
help; for, in spite of her loppy ways, she's more or less of a candy
girl. There was a good deal to it, and it all means the same as what
Toodle was tryin' to hand out; but now that the ache has quit I'm ready
for any kind of foolishness.

Violet had got to the point where she has snuggled up nice and close,
with one hand still grippin' mine and the other smoothin' out my jaw
while she told me again how pain was only a pipe dream,--when I glances
over her shoulder and sees Sadie floatin' in hangin' to Dr. Toodle's
arm.

And does Sadie miss the tableau in our corner? Not to any extent! Her
eyebrows go up, and her mouth comes open. That's the first indication.
Next her lips shut tight, and her eyes narrow down, and before you could
count three she's let go of Toodle as if he was a hot potato, and she's
makin' a bee line for the cozy corner.

"Why!" says Miss Lee, lookin' up and forecastin' the comin' conditions in
a flash. "Is dinner over? Oh, and there's Dr. Toodle!" and off she trips,
leavin' the McCabe fam'ly to hold a reunion.

"Well, I never!" says Sadie, givin' me the gimlet gaze. And say, she puts
plenty of expression into them three words.

"Me either," says I. "Not very often, anyway. But a chance is a chance."

"I hope I didn't intrude?" says she, her eyes snappin'.

"There's no tellin'," says I.

"It was a very touching scene!" says she. "Very!"

"Wa'n't it?" says I. "Nice girl, Violet."

"Violet! Humph!" says she. "There's no accounting for tastes!"

"Just what I was thinkin' when I see you with the timelock clutch on that
freak doctor's south wing," says I.

"Dr. Toodle," says she, "was explaining to me his wonderful self healing
theories."

"And dear Violet," says I, "was puttin' me through a course of sprouts in
the automatic toothache cure."

"Oh, indeed!" says Sadie. "Was patting your cheek part of it?"

"I hope so," says I.

"Huh!" says she. "I suppose it worked?"

"Like a charm," says I. "All that bother