he had never cared before.
He was tempted to go back into the house, and change his uncouth Canada
homespun coat for the broadcloth frock which he wore when he went to
Boston; but he scornfully resisted it, and drove off in his accustomed
figure.

His mother's last words repeated themselves to him, and in that
dialogue, in which he continued to dramatize their different feelings,
he kept replying, "Well, the way to find out whether she cares is to ask
her."

X.

During her convalescence Mrs. Maynard had the time and inclination to
give Grace some good advice. She said that she had thought a great deal
about it throughout her sickness, and she had come to the conclusion
that Grace was throwing away her life.

"You're not fit to be a doctor, Grace," she said. "You're too nervous,
and you're too conscientious. It is n't merely your want of experience.
No matter how much experience you had, if you saw a case going wrong in
your hands, you'd want to call in some one else to set it right. Do you
suppose Dr. Mulbridge would have given me up to another doctor because
he was afraid he couldn't cure me? No, indeed! He'd have let me die
first, and I should n't have blamed him. Of course I know what pressure
I brought to bear upon you, but you had no business to mind me. You
oughtn't to have minded my talk any more than the buzzing of a mosquito,
and no real doctor would. If he wants to be a success, he must be
hard-hearted; as hard-hearted as"--she paused for a comparison, and
failing any other added--"as all possessed." To the like large-minded
and impartial effect, she, ran on at great length. "No, Grace," she
concluded, "what you want to do is to get married. You would be a good
wife, and you would be a good mother. The only trouble is that I don't
know any man worthy of you, or half worthy. No, I don't!"

Now that her recovery was assured, Mrs. Maynard was very forgiving and
sweet and kind with every one. The ladies who came in to talk with her
said that she was a changed creature; she gave them all the best advice,
and she had absolutely no shame whatever for the inconsistency involved
by her reconciliation with her husband. She rather flaunted the
happiness of her reunion in the face of the public, and she vouchsafed
an explanation to no one. There had never been anything definite in her
charges against him, even to Grace, and her tacit withdrawal of them
succeeded perfectly well. The ladies, after some cynical t