Annie Kilburn

But Mrs. Munger remained.

"I don't believe Mrs. Putney herself would say what you have said," she

remarked, after an embarrassing moment. "If it were really so I should be

willing to make any reparation--to acknowledge it. Will you go with me to

Mrs. Putney's? I have my phaeton here, and--"

"I shouldn't dream of going to Mrs. Putney's with you."

Mrs. Munger urged, with the effect of invincible argument: "I've been down

in the village, and I've talked to a good many about it--some of them

hadn't heard of it before--and I must say, Miss Kilburn, that people

generally take a very different view of it from what you do. They think

that my hospitality has been shamefully abused. Mr. Gates said he should

think I would have Mr. Putney arrested. But I don't care for all that. What

I wish is to prove to you that I am right; and if I can go with you to call

on Mrs. Putney, I shall not care what any one else says. Will you come?"

"Certainly not," cried Annie.

They both stood a moment, and in this moment Dr. Morrell drove up, and

dropped his hitching-weight beyond Mrs. Munger's phaeton.

As he entered she said: "We will let Dr. Morrell decide. I've been asking

Miss Kilburn to go with me to Mrs. Putney's. I think it would be a graceful

and proper thing for me to do, to express my sympathy and interest, and to

hear what Mrs. Putney really has to say. Don't _you_ think I ought to

go to see her, doctor?"

The doctor laughed. "I can't prescribe in matters of social duty. But what

do you want to see Mrs. Putney for?"

"What for? Why, doctor, on account of Mr. Putney--what took place last

night."

"Yes? What was that?"

"What was _that_? Why, his strange behaviour--his--his intoxication."

"Was he intoxicated? Did you think so?"

"Why, you were there, doctor. Didn't you think so?"

Annie looked at him with as much astonishment as Mrs. Munger.

The doctor laughed again. "You can't always tell when Putney's joking; he's

a great joker. Perhaps he was hoaxing."

"Oh doctor, do you think he _could_ have been?" said Mrs. Munger, with

clasped hands. "It would make me the happiest woman in the world! I'd

forgive him all he's made me suffer. But _you're_ joking _now_,

doctor?"

"You can't tell when people are joking. If I'm not, does it follow that I'm

really intoxicated?"