as he rescued his hat and cane from beside his chair. "Zenas Prout tells
a story to show why Eden Village is exempt. We have a lady here, Mr.
Herrick, who should have been of rights a descendant of old Colonel
Phelps, Ed's grandfather on his mother's side. The old Colonel's name
was synonymous for--let us say self-denial. The lady in question is a
very estimable lady, sir, oh, very estimable, but, while she is probably
our richest citizen, she is extremely careful and saving. Zenas says a
tramp stopped at her door once and asked for food. Miss Cousins--there,
I didn't mean to give her name! But no matter--Miss Cousins brought him
a slice of stale bread thinly spread with butter. Zenas says the tramp
looked from the bread to Miss Cousins, who, I should explain is
extremely thin in face and figure, and back to the bread. Then he held
it out to her. 'Lady,' he said, 'I haven't the heart to take this from
you. You need it more than I do. Eat it yourself!'"

Under cover of Wade's appreciative laughter the Doctor made his adieux,
promising to call again at half-past seven. Wade watched him depart down
the street, very erect and a trifle pompous, his gold-headed stick
serving no other purpose than that of ornament. Then he went indoors and
walked to the mirror.

"Gee!" he muttered, "I wish my trunk were here!"

VIII.

The parlor at The Cedars was very different from that in the Craig
cottage. It was pretty and comfortable, with lamps that diffused a
cheerful, mellow glow over the lower half of the room and left the upper
in pleasantly mysterious gloom. There was much old-fashioned
furniture--such as the spindle-legged card table at which Miss Mullett
and the Doctor were deeply absorbed in cribbage--but enough comfortable
modern chairs had been provided to render martyrdom unnecessary. The
four windows were hung with bright creton and muslin, and the dull-green
carpet neither stared one out of countenance nor made one fearful to set
foot upon it. It was a jolly, chummy sort of carpet that seemed to say,
"Walk on me all you want to, and don't be afraid to spill your crumbs; I
like crumbs." A very large tortoise-shell cat lay stretched along the
arm of the couch, half asleep, and purred as Eve dipped her fingers in
the long fur. The windows on the side of the room were open and the
draperies swayed gently with the little breeze. Wade, seated at the
other end of the couch from his hostess, was feeling happy and
inexpl