een reading up
Christmas in the country in the olden time, and he finds that to be
correct you must deluge the neighborhood with those articles. They are
not at all what the people want, as far as I can make out. But that
doesn't matter. It pleases papa to demoralize the neighborhood; so we're
doing it. And mamma helps him. She dates from the prehistoric period
when a wife _really_ swore to obey her husband; so she does it through
thick and thin. Of course, she knows better all the time. She could
always set papa right if she chose. Whatever happens, papa must be
obeyed. So when he wants to run his dear old head into a noose, she
dutifully holds it open for him, when all the time she knows how
uncomfortable he'll be till he gets out."

"You're a saucy puss, Miss!" cried her father, trying to frown, but
betraying his delight in his daughter's merry tongue by the twinkle in
his eyes.

"And that's the right sort of woman for a wife," said the old doctor,
enthusiastically. "I must say I think it's a bad sign when young girls
think they can improve upon their own mothers."

"She doesn't mean half she says," said her father, indulgently.

"Oh, yes, she does," retorted Doreen. "And she wants to know, please,
what it is you have to say to Dudley."

The doctor rose from his chair, and Mr. Wedmore frowned.

"And it's no use putting me off by telling me not to ask questions. I'm
not mamma, you know."

"I intend to ask him--something about you."

It was the girl's turn to frown now.

"Please don't, papa," said she, in a lower voice. "I know you're going
to worry him, and to put your hands behind your back and ask him
conundrums, and to make all sorts of mischief, under the impression that
you are putting things right. And if you only just wouldn't, everything
would soon be as right as possible. While if you persist--"

But Mr. Wedmore interrupted her, not harshly, as he would have done
anybody else, but with decision.

"You must trust me to know best, my dear. It is better for you both that
we should come to some understanding. Haselden, you'll excuse me for
half an hour, won't you? And you, Doreen," and he turned again to his
daughter, "stay with the doctor here, and try to talk sense till I come
back again."

And Mr. Wedmore went quickly out of the room, without giving the girl a
chance of saying anything more.

CHAPTER II.

MAX MAKES A DISCOVERY.

Doreen's bright face lost a little of its color and mu