irical was
now openly approbative.

"She is a shrewd little strategist," was his comment; "but all the same
she is a mighty pretty girl, and as good and sensible as she is shrewd.
I wonder why mother and Gertrude haven't called on her?"

Having thus mined the Raymer outworks, Miss Grierson next turned her
batteries upon the Farnhams. They were Methodists, and having learned
that the doctor's hobby was a struggling mission work in Pottery Flat,
Margery called the paternal check-book again into service, and the
cutter drew up before the doctor's office in Main Street.

"Good-morning, doctor," she began cheerfully, bursting in upon the head
of the First-Church board of administrators as a charming embodiment of
youthful enthusiasm, "I'm running errands for poppa this morning. Mr.
Rodney was telling us about that little First-Church mission in Pottery
Flat, and poppa wanted to help. But we are not Methodists, you know, and
he was afraid--that is, he didn't quite know how you might----"

It was an exceedingly clever bit of acting, and the good doctor
capitulated at once, discrediting, for the first time in his life, the
intuition of his home womankind.

"Now that is very thoughtful and kind of you, Miss Margery," he said,
wiping his glasses and looking a second time at the generous figure of
the piece of money-paper. "I appreciate it the more because I know you
must have a great many other calls upon your charity. We've been wanting
to put a trained worker in charge of that mission for I don't know how
long, and this gift of yours makes it possible."

"The kindness is in allowing us to help," murmured the small diplomat.
"You'll let me know when more is needed? Promise me that, Doctor
Farnham."

"I shouldn't be a good Methodist if I didn't," laughed the doctor. Then
he remembered the Mereside reception and the regrets, and was moved to
make amends. "I'm sorry we couldn't be neighborly last night; but my
sister-in-law is very frail, and Charlotte doesn't go out much. They are
both getting ready to go to Pass Christian, but I'm sure they'll call
before they go South."

"I shall be ever so glad to welcome them," purred Miss Margery, "and I
do hope they will come before I leave. I'm going to Palm Beach next
week, you know."

"I'll tell them," volunteered the doctor. "They'll find time to run in,
I'm sure."

But for some reason the vicarious promise was not kept; and the Raymers
held aloof; and the Oswalds and the Ba