Sally laughed and her eyes were cold and hard. If Mr. Ladue had heard that laugh and seen her eyes, I think he would not ask Sally to go back to him. "Oh," she said lightly--but her voice was as hard as her eyes--"oh, there is no doubt about what I would do. I would never go back to him; never at all. You shouldn't, either, mother. So put that bugaboo out of your mind. I hope he won't ever turn up, not ever." Mrs. Ladue laughed and her laugh was ready and cheerful enough. "Oh, Sally," she said, mildly remonstrating, "we ought not to say that. We ought not even to think it." "We poor mortals seldom do as we ought, mother, dear," Sally replied lightly. "You needn't have that fear a single minute longer." CHAPTER II Much to Sally's surprise, Fox came on and he brought Henrietta. "Doctor Sanderson's engagements cannot be very pressing," she said to him, smiling, as she gave him her hand, "to permit of his coming several hundred miles merely to see two lone women." Now Doctor Sanderson's engagements, as it chanced, were rather pressing; and it was a fair inference from Sally's words that she was not as glad to see him as he wished and had hoped. But her smile belied her words. "Miss Ladue forgets, perhaps," he replied, bowing rather formally, "that most of our patients are women, lone or otherwise, and that it is all in the way of business to travel several hundred miles to see them--and to charge for it. Although there are not many that I would take that trouble for," he added, under his breath. "So look out, Sally," he concluded gayly, "and wait until our bill comes in." That sobered Sally. "Oh, Fox," she said, "we owe you enough already." Which was not what he had bargained for. Sally was looking at him thoughtfully and seemed to be calculating. "Perhaps," she began, "I could manage to--" "Sally," he interrupted hastily--he seemed even fierce about it--"Sally, I'd like to shake you." Sally laughed suddenly. "Why don't you?" she asked. "I've no doubt it would do me good." "That's better," Fox went on, with evident satisfaction. "You seem to be coming to your senses." Sally laughed again. "That's still better. Now, aren't you glad to see me?" "Why, of course I am." "Then, why didn't you say so?" he challenged. "Merely to gratify my curiosity, tell me why you didn't." "Why didn't you?" Sally retorted, still chuckling a little. Fox looked blank. "Didn't I? Is it possible that I omitted to state such an obvious truth?" Sally nodded. She was looking past him. "Oh," she cried quickly, "there's Henrietta." "Another obvious truth," he murmured, more to himself than to Sally. "There's Henrietta." Henrietta came quickly forward; indeed, she was running. And Sally met her. Sally was quick enough, but she seemed slow in comparison with Henrietta.