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?” “Oh, but that's nonsense, Dr. Morrell. That's mere--what do you call it?--chop logic. But I don't mind it. I grasp at a straw.” Mrs. Munger grasped at a straw of the mind, to show how. “But what _do_ you mean?” “Well, Mrs. Putney wasn't intoxicated last night, but she's not well this morning. I'm afraid she couldn't see you.” “Just as you _say_, doctor,” cried Mrs. Munger, with mounting cheerfulness. “I _wish_ I knew just how much you meant, and how little.” She moved closer to the doctor, and bent a look of candid fondness upon him. “But I know you're trying to mystify me.” She pursued him with questions which he easily parried, smiling and laughing. At the end she left him to Annie, with adieux that were almost radiant. “Anyhow, I shall take the benefit of the doubt, and if Mr. Putney was hoaxing, I shall not give myself away. _Do_ find out what he means, Miss Kilburn, won't you?” She took hold of Annie's unoffered hand, and pressed it in a double leathern grasp, and ran out of the room with a lightness of spirit which her physical bulk imperfectly expressed. XX. “Well?” said Annie, to the change which came over Morrell's face when Mrs. Munger was gone. “Oh, it's a miserable business! He must go on now to the end of his debauch. He's got past doing any mischief, I'm thankful to say. But I had hoped to tide him over a while longer, and now that fool has spoiled everything. Well!” Annie's heart warmed to his vexation, and she postponed another emotion. “Yes, she _is_ a fool. I wish you had qualified the term, doctor.”