"That’s what she expected. But, about an hour ago, Mrs. Frank Ronald drove up. She came to call, though, of course, it was my place to go see her first, as she’s a bride, and a stranger. She brought grandmother an armful of roses. The loveliest things! Long-stemmed ones, almost as tall as she is herself. Have you ever seen her? Mrs. Ronald? She’s the daintiest creature! She makes me feel a giantess. And so unaffected, and cordial. So different from Mrs. Sherman, who was Katherine Ronald. Somehow, I feel as if her being here, were going to make things pleasanter. I’m happier, more contented, and hopeful, than I’ve been for ever so long." "And Mrs. Ronald sent her car for Mrs. Slawson?" Katherine Crewe laughed. "’Not on your life,’ as Mrs. Slawson says. Mrs. Ronald just took her along in the car with her, preserving-kettle and all. You should have seen the footman’s expression! I had told Mrs. Ronald about the preserving, and, as soon as she heard, she proposed taking ’Martha,’ as she calls her, back with her when she went. She’s evidently a democratic little person. I wonder how such goings-on will please Mrs. Ronald, senior, and Katherine Sherman. They’re so frightfully what, when we were children, we used to call ’stuck up.’ I know grandmother would be horrified. She, also, is stuck-up, as perhaps you may have gathered." "Yes, she has made no attempt to hide it. But, I’d really like to know why _I_ come in for such a large share of her disapproval. To forbid you to have anything to say to me, now, is really—— If she weren’t such a poor, helpless little old body, I’d have it out with her. Have you any idea what the trouble is?" Katherine flushed. "It’s all too absurd. A man by the name of Ballard was bailiff to her father, when she was a girl." "I know that. My grandfather. What then? A bailiff’s is a perfectly good job. Look at Slawson. He’s all right, isn’t he? But, anyway, things haven’t stood still since those days. _I’m_ not a bailiff. I’m a physician. What’s the matter with that?" "Nothing—only——" "Only—what?" "She says——" Katherine hesitated. "Out with it," urged Dr. Ballard. "She says you’ve no practice. No income." He laughed aloud. "How the deuce does she know?" "You’re so young." "Oh, I am, am I? Well, I’ll tell you a secret: I’m not quite so young as, apparently, I look. I don’t wear my hair a little thin on top because I like that style, particularly. But, even if she’s right, and I have no practice—no income—how could that——?" Katherine turned her face away, unable to meet his searching eyes. He spoke again at once. "The fact is, you’re not giving it to me straight. You’re trying to soften the dull thud, or something. Now, be honest. Speak the truth, like a little man. What’s the reason I’m _persona non grata_ with Madam Crewe? Speak out. It’ll be over in a minute, and then you’ll feel much better, and so shall I."