it. They won't take it amiss--for once--if
you explain to them that I--I am not at all well."

"Oh, I do hope you're not coming down with anything!" Alice had risen
too, and was gazing at him with a solicitude the tenderness of which at
once comforted, and in some obscure way jarred on his nerves. "Is there
anything I can do--or shall I go for a doctor? We've got mustard in the
house, and senna--I think there's some senna left--and Jamaica ginger."

Theron shook his head wearily at her. "Oh, no,--no!" he expostulated.
"It isn't anything that needs drugs, or doctors either. It's just mental
worry and fatigue, that's all. An evening's quiet rest in the big chair,
and early to bed--that will fix me up all right."

"But you'll read; and that will make your head worse," said Alice.

"No, I won't read any more," he promised her, walking slowly into the
sitting-room, and settling himself in the big chair, the while she
brought out a pillow from the adjoining best bedroom, and adjusted it
behind his head. "That's nice! I'll just lie quiet here, and perhaps
doze a little till you come back. I feel in the mood for the rest; it
will do me all sorts of good."

He closed his eyes; and Alice, regarding his upturned face anxiously,
decided that already it looked more at peace than awhile ago.

"Well, I hope you'll be better when I get back," she said, as she began
preparations for the evening service. These consisted in combing
stiffly back the strands of light-brown hair which, during the day, had
exuberantly loosened themselves over her temples into something
almost like curls; in fastening down upon this rebellious hair a plain
brown-straw bonnet, guiltless of all ornament save a binding ribbon of
dull umber hue; and in putting on a thin dark-gray shawl and a pair
of equally subdued lisle-thread gloves. Thus attired, she made a
mischievous little grimace of dislike at her puritanical image in
the looking-glass over the mantel, and then turned to announce her
departure.

"Well, I'm off," she said. Theron opened his eyes to take in this figure
of his wife dressed for prayer-meeting, and then closed them again
abruptly. "All right," he murmured, and then he heard the door shut
behind her.

Although he had been alone all day, there seemed to be quite a unique
value and quality in this present solitude. He stretched out his legs on
the opposite chair, and looked lazily about him, with the feeling that
at last he had secured som