"Why, you see," continued Mrs. Tascher, "it doesn't look well. Miss Custer ought to know better, but she is so vain of her influence over gentlemen that she exercises it upon every occasion that offers. It doesn't appear to make any difference who the gentleman is: it would be all the same to her now if it were Hugh instead of the doctor. I believe she does care something for Bruce, and he is her lawful prey; but she knows the doctor is not in the market." Ruth threw back her head proudly. "He _can_ be in the market," she said hoarsely. "No, no, my dear," said Mrs. Tascher, shaking her head. "I don't want you to get reckless: I want to see you play this game with Miss Custer with a cool hand and come out ahead. You can do it, and you will be stronger and safer in the end." Ruth pretty soon went out. She entered her room with her hand upon her heart, and sat down by the window without striking a light. In the course of half an hour the doctor and Miss Custer appeared in sight, walking slowly toward the house. They passed directly under her window, but their voices were so low that she could distinguish no word. By and by she heard the piano going. A moment after Mrs. Tascher tapped on her door, and, turning the knob, put her head in and called, "Ruth!" Ruth got up and came forward. "Come," said her visitor, "let us go down to the parlor." "I cannot," said Ruth: "please don't ask me." "Foolish child!" said Mrs. Tascher. "I am a thousand times sorry that I brought this thing to your notice." "It was brought to my notice long ago," said Ruth brokenly; and Mrs. Tascher turned and went down stairs. The doctor was leaning back in an easy-chair, completely absorbed in watching the exquisite figure at the piano and listening to the strains she evoked. "One _would_ think she had feeling," commented Mrs. Tascher mentally as she entered the room and swept across to the vacant seat beside the doctor, dispelling somehow, with her strong presence, the spirit of sentimentalism that pervaded the atmosphere. "Why, Doctor Ebling, are you here?" she asked: "I supposed you had gone to town. Where is Miss Stanley?" "I--I don't know," said the doctor--honestly enough, to be sure. "I thought you all went down to the croquet-ground?" "Yes, we did. But she came back, and left Miss Custer and myself to finish our game." "Oh, then I presume she is in her room.--Have you finished playing, Miss Custer?" with a smile of placid indifference as Miss Custer turned round on the piano-stool. "Yes," said Miss Custer, getting up and taking a chair. "Doctor Ebling wished to hear the 'Last Hope.'" "You haven't come to that in your experience yet, have you, doctor?" laughed Mrs. Tascher, though she was not in the habit of playing upon words. "No," said the doctor. "It seems to me the 'last hope' is that we feel when we draw our last breath."