he emotional drama similarly gowned and
groomed and a lasting impression was the consequence. The tea-gown and
tumbling hair became Mira's conception of the proper make-up for wronged
and injured and deeply-suffering wifehood. She had prepared to deluge
the doctor with symptoms and Mrs. Darling with tears, but nearly an hour
went by and neither came. Katty was clearing away the luncheon table,
and to her Almira faintly appealed for tidings, and Katty said that the
masther had come in for a minute and walked up and down in the parlor
and gone to the front door himself to meet Mr. Sanders, and they were
talking out in front. When the second time her husband entered the house
she prepared to hide her face and refuse him a word, but he did not come
near her. She heard him pacing up and down, up and down, at first with
quick nervous stride and at last more slowly. Then he seemed to sit at
his desk and write. She could hear him sigh heavily. What business had
he to sigh? She was suffering for lack of sympathy, nursing, tender
care. Why should he sit there sighing in that absurd fashion? She heard
him go to the kitchen and tell Barnickel to take that note to the
chaplain, and then he came back to write some more. She grew impatient,
lonely. She determined to bring him to her side, and if possible to her
feet again. Other men were abject enough; why should she be lorded over
in this way? She threw herself again upon her bed and covered her eyes
with her filmy handkerchief and faintly called "Percy!" As he did not
hear she tried again, louder, and still he did not seem to be at her
door listening for the slightest sign, and she was compelled to sit up
and call loudly, not for him but for Katty.

And Katty, being out among the pots and pans and kettles, didn't hear
her at all; so Davies went and summoned the girl, instead of going to
Almira himself, as Almira thought he should have done. Presently Katty
came out. The misthress wanted to know was the doctor ever coming--and
Mrs. Darling? Then Davies entered the room and closed the door.

"Dr. Rooke has not yet returned, Mira," he said. "Mrs. Darling with my
consent will not visit you again until you are experienced enough to
know right from wrong. You never told me of these visits with her to
Cresswell's or I should have forbidden them utterly. It never occurred
to me that you would be tempted to go thither or I should have warned
you. I do not blame you so much, my wife, as I do