They looked at each other solemnly, and then laughed. “It won't do for a physician to swear,” said Morrell. “I wish you'd give me a cup of coffee. I've been up all night.” “With Ralph?” “With Putney.” “You shall have it instantly; that is, as instantly as Mrs. Bolton can kindle up a fire and make it.” She went out to the kitchen, and gave the order with an imperiousness which she softened in Dr. Morrell's interest by explaining rather fully to Mrs. Bolton. When she came back she wanted to talk seriously, tragically, about Putney. But the doctor would not. He said that it paid to sit up with Putney, drunk or sober, and hear him go on. He repeated some things Putney said about Mr. Peck, about Gerrish, about Mrs. Munger. “But why did you try to put her off in that way--to make her believe he wasn't intoxicated?” asked Annie, venting her postponed emotion, which was of disapproval. “I don't know. It came into my head. But she knows better.” “It was rather cruel; not that she deserves any mercy. She caught so at the idea.” “Oh yes, I saw that. She'll humbug herself with it, and you'll see that before night there'll be two theories of Putney's escapade. I think the last will be the popular one. It will jump with the general opinion of Putney's ability to carry anything out. And Mrs. Munger will do all she can to support it.” Mrs. Bolton brought in the coffee-pot, and Annie hesitated a moment, with her hand on it, before pouring out a cup. “I don't like it,” she said. “I know you don't. But you can say that it wasn't Putney who hoaxed Mrs. Munger, but Dr. Morrell.” “Oh, you didn't either of you hoax her.” “Well, then, there's no harm done.” “I'm not so sure.” “And you won't give me any coffee?” “Oh yes, I'll give you some _coffee_,” said Annie, with a sigh of baffled scrupulosity that made them both laugh. He broke out again after he had begun to drink his coffee. “Well?” she demanded, from her own lapse into silence. “Oh, nothing! Only Putney. He wants Brother Peck, as he calls him, to unite all the religious elements of Hatboro' in a church of his own, and send out missionaries to the heathen of South Hatboro' to preach a practical Christianity. He makes South Hatboro' stand for all that's worldly and depraved.” “Poor Ralph! Is that the way he talks?” “Oh, not all the time. He talks a great many other ways.” “I wonder you can laugh.” “He's been very severe on Brother Peck for neglecting the discipline of his child. He says he ought to remember his duty to others, and save the community from having the child grow up into a capricious, wilful woman. Putney was very hard upon your sex, Miss Kilburn. He attributed nearly all the trouble in the world to women's wilfulness and caprice.”