“Well, what are you going to do?” demanded John in the captious tone he had come to use more and more often of late. Lucy glanced at her mother before speaking. “I’ll go,” she decided, rising from the table, “that is if Mrs. Hamilton is going to be at home.” As Nannie rose also a glance of sympathetic understanding passed between her and John. The two women ascended the stairs. Lucy prepared Dimmie for the night, and, before changing her clothes for the street, went out the back way and through an alley gate into the Hamiltons’ yard. Dr. Hamilton called to her from the porch and she made her request. She returned home without telling John the result of her mission but when she dressed herself and descended to the living room she found him waiting. She wore a blue foulard dress and a black hat and as she came in she was drawing on her gloves. “Mrs. Hamilton will be over here in a moment,” she informed him coldly in answer to his glance of inquiry. The two sat in silence as they waited for Mrs. Merwent to descend and the neighbor to arrive. “I’m afraid we’ll be late,” remarked John regretfully, after a restless pause. “When did Mrs. Hamilton say she could come? Hadn’t you better call Nannie?” “Mother knows perfectly well what time it is,” responded Lucy, and added, “Mrs. Hamilton had just come in from a long day in town and had to change her dress.” “You’re not very considerate of Nannie, Lucy.” “Well, you make up for it!” Lucy’s manner as she said this was a surprise to John. “Lucy, I don’t understand you at all.” “Be careful not to try too hard, John.” “Oh, well, if you want to be sarcastic, all right!” Silence descended again. Mrs. Hamilton entered the house through the kitchen where Lucy had left a door ajar for her. She looked tired but apologized good humoredly for her delay. John greeted her stiffly. “The doctor may be called out,” she explained, “in which case he’ll carry Dimmie over to our place.” Lucy bit her lips. “I appreciate so much your doing this,” she said earnestly. “My goodness! What are friends for!” Mrs. Hamilton laughed, trying to draw John into the conversation. After a quarter of an hour had elapsed Lucy walked into the hall and called, “We’re waiting, Mamma.” “Wait a minute, Lucy. You hurry me so I can’t half dress,” Nannie shouted back. When she finally appeared she wore a grey and green evening gown, a grey opera cloak, and grey satin slippers. She greeted plainly garbed Mrs. Hamilton with unusual geniality. “We really ought to have a machine to go in!” John exclaimed when he saw Nannie. “Oh, no,” said Nannie cheerfully. “We’ll get through all right--although it’s dear of you to think of such things, John.” When they were seated in the train John said, “Jim is going, too. He thought he couldn’t leave his work but I persuaded him.” “Did you tell him we were _all_ coming?” queried Nannie. “Oh, yes,” John answered. Jim, in evening clothes, met them at the station.