gown on Sundays."

"Dick, Dick!" screamed his mother. "Was there ever such a lad!"

"He's coming. Get ready for him. Have out your Prayer-books,"
called Dick.

Phebe flushed crimson, and looked imploringly at Gerald. An indignant
murmur ran through the room. Mrs. Upjohn drew herself up to her severest
height. "What shameless impertinence! How dare he intrude!" A shout of
unholy laughter downstairs followed Dick's sally.

"Mr. Halloway isn't there at all," cried Olly, his fine, clear-voice
pitched high above the rest, "He only asked about Pheeb at the door, and
went right off."

"Well, he left this for her with his compliments, and this, and this,"
called Dick, rummaging in his pockets, and tossing up an apple, and then
a hickory nut, and last a good-sized and dangerously ripe tomato. Olly
caught them dexterously with a yell of delight, and was immediately
rushed at by three of the nearest ladies and ordered not to make a noise,
for Phebe was to be kept perfectly quiet.

"Such doings would never be permitted a moment if she had only been in
Dr. Harrison's hands," said Mrs. Upjohn, in denunciatory tones. "He would
have forbidden her to see any one. It is scandalous."

"It is outrageous," added Mrs. Hardcastle. "Most inconsiderate."

"Ah, I can't get over it that it isn't your legs, poor dear!" murmured
Miss Delano, still plaintively overcome. "And you will walk, after all?"

"Dr. Dennis is an excellent physician," said Mrs. Dexter, somewhat
defiantly. It was impossible not to enter the lists against Mrs. Upjohn.
This last lady was immediately up in arms, and a heated discussion as to
the respective skill of the two practitioners took place, everybody
gradually taking sides with one or the other of the leaders, and
forgetting both poor exhausted Phebe and the noise downstairs, which
finally culminated in a rousing lullaby led by Bell, and lustily seconded
by half a dozen others:

"Slumber on, Phebe dear;
Do not hear us fellows sigh!"

The song, however, suddenly stopped in the midst. Some one seemed
speaking very low and softly, and neither the chorus nor the laughter nor
the tumult was resumed. Phebe drew a deep breath. Was relief really
coming at last? Yes. Soeur Angelique stood in the door-way.

"Will you excuse me, ladies," she said, in that soft, irresistible voice
of hers, as she laid aside bonnet and shawl in a quiet, business-like
way. "I came to relieve Miss Vernor and play nurse for a while, and I