Dr. Foxmore?"

"I came," he said bluntly, "to let you know your good fortune and to
warn you not to allow any of your friends to persuade you against your
own best interests."

"My friends?" Iola threw her head slightly backward and her tone became
frankly haughty.

"Oh, I know your friends, and especially--I may as well be plain--that
young medical student, Boyle, don't like Dr. Bulling, and might persuade
you against this yacht trip."

Iola was furiously aware that her face was aflame, but she stood without
speaking for a few moments till she was sure her voice was steady.

"My FRIENDS would never presume to interfere with my choosing."

"Well, they presume, or at least that young Boyle presumed, to interfere
once too often for his own good. But he'll probably be more careful in
future."

"Mr. Boyle is a gentleman in whom I have the fullest confidence. He
would do what he thought right."

"He will probably correct his judgments before he interferes with Dr.
Bulling again." The doctor's tone was insolently sarcastic.

"Dr. Bulling?"

"Yes. He was grossly insulting and Dr. Bulling was forced to chastise
him."

"Chastise! Mr. Boyle!" cried Iola, her anger throwing her off her guard.
"That is quite impossible, Dr. Foxmore! That could not happen!"

"But I am telling you it did! I was present and saw it. It was this
way--"

Iola put up her hand imperiously. "Dr. Foxmore," she said, recovering
her self-command, "there is no need of words. I tell you it is quite
impossible! It is quite impossible!"

Dr. Foxmore's face flushed a deep red. He flung aside the remaining
shreds of decency in speech.

"Do you mean to call me a liar?" he shouted.

"Ah, Dr. Foxmore, would you also chastise me as well?"

The doctor stood in helpless rage looking at the calm, smiling face.

"I was a fool to come!" he blurted.

"I would not presume to contradict you, nor to stand in the way of
returning wisdom."

The doctor swore a great oath under his breath and without further words
strode from the room.

Iola stood erect and silent till he had disappeared through the open
door. "Oh!" she breathed, her hands fiercely clenched, "if I were a
man what a joy it would be just now!" She shut the door and sat down to
think. "I wonder what did happen? I must see Dick at once. He'll tell
me. Oh, it is all horribly loathsome!" For the first time she
saw herself from Dr. Bulling's point of view. If she sang in the
Philharmonic it wou