William King reported the result of his call to Dr. Lavendar, and

when he told the tragic story of the dead baby the old man blinked and

shook his head.

"Do you wonder she doesn't call herself Mrs. Frederick Richie?"

William demanded. "I don't!"

"No; that's natural, that's natural," Dr. Lavendar admitted.

"I suppose it was a dreadful thing to say," said William, "but I just

burst out and said that if ever there was an excuse for divorce, she

had it!"

"What did she say?"

"Oh, of course, that she hadn't been divorced. I was ashamed of myself

the next minute for speaking of such a thing."

"Poor child," said Dr. Lavendar, "living up there alone, and with such

memories! I guess you're right; I guess she'd like to have little

David, if only for company. But I think I'll keep him for a week or

two myself, and let her get sort of acquainted with him under my eye.

That will give me a chance to get acquainted with her. But to think I

haven't known about that baby until now! It must be my fault that she

was not drawn to tell me. But I'm afraid I wasn't drawn to her just at

first."

Yet Dr. Lavendar was not altogether at fault. This newcomer in Old

Chester was still a stranger to everybody, except to Sam Wright's Sam

and to William King. To be sure, as soon as she was settled in her

house Old Chester had called and asked her to tea, and was confused

and annoyed because its invitations were not accepted. Furthermore,

she did not return the calls. She went to church, but not very

regularly, and she never stopped to gossip in the vestibule or the

church-yard. Even with Dr. Lavendar she was remote. The first time he

went to see her he asked, with his usual directness, one or two

questions: Did Mr. Pryor live in Mercer? No; he had business that

brought him there occasionally. Where did he live? In Philadelphia.

Had she any relatives in this part of the world--except her brother?

No, none; none anywhere. Was Mr. Pryor married? Yes. Had he any

family? One daughter; his wife was dead. "And you have lost your

husband?" Dr. Lavendar said, gently. "This is a lonely life for you

here, I am afraid."

But she said oh, no; not at all; she liked the quiet. Then, with faint

impatience as if she did not care to talk about her own affairs, she

added that she had always lived in the East; "but I find it very

pleasant here," she ended vaguely.




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