"Pattie will soon come back," the doctor said, holding Dot's hand. "She's going for a little walk." "And I'll bring you some flowers, Dot," Pattie stooped over the bed. That made Dot submit for the moment, and she slipped away. It was a lovely morning; and if Pattie could have felt easy about Dot, left at home in charge of Mrs. Cragg, she would have enjoyed her breath of fresh morning air—not very early air, since it was past eleven, but deliciously fresh. She went at a good pace down the street, intending to take a run to the nearest meadow, on the banks of which, close to a tiny stream, she might hope to find a few wild-flowers. Not many remained now; but it did not take much to satisfy Dot. On her way she met two or three of Mrs. Cragg's friends, people whom she had often seen and spoken with. Pattie noticed, with a feeling of slight surprise, that they hardly observed her. One of them looked away; one of them gave her a curt nod; one stared her rudely straight in the face. Pattie felt disturbed, wondering what the change of manner might mean. She did not care for any of Mrs. Cragg's friends, and she felt that they did not care for her; still, they had hitherto been civil. Naturally the question came up in her mind—had anything been said to turn them against her? Pattie slackened her speed, and walked thoughtfully. She knew Mrs. Cragg too well not to know the possibility of this,—even at a time when she was devoting herself to the child, and when Mrs. Cragg might be supposed to owe much to her. Somebody stopped. Pattie involuntarily stopped too, before looking up, to find herself face to face with Mrs. Smithers. She and Mrs. Smithers had met fairly often, and neither liked the other very much. The chemist's wife wore a look of complacent superiority. "Good morning," she said. "Tisn't often we see you strolling about this time of day, Pattie." Mrs. Smithers was given to calling people by their Christian names, with or without leave. "No. I shall not be out long." "But you've got a regular nurse in the house." "Yes. She sleeps in the day, still." "How is Dot getting on?" "The doctor says—very nicely." "Why doesn't he let her be up and about? How long does he mean to keep her lying down?" Pattie felt annoyed. "I suppose as longs he sees it to be needed," she said. "Ah, I don't think much of that young fellow! He's very young, you know. Mrs. Cragg and I think he makes a deal too much fuss. If Dot was allowed to play about, she'd soon be all right." "I think the doctor is likely to know more about it than you or I,— even if he is young," Pattie observed quietly. "We have not had a doctor's training." "I hope we've got a grain of commonsense, though!" retorted the other, not pleased. "Well, and so you've taken up with the Craggs, and mean to live with them? It's all a mistake, I suppose, what Mr. Cragg was saying before Dot's accident,—that you wanted to find work?" Pattie showed some surprise.