The doctor took his feet down from the porch railing, and tapped his pipe against the post with an unnecessary amount of noise. Lynn Gordon looked hard at the silver poplars on the other side of the big road. Different men have different ways of giving outward expression to the embarrassment which every man feels at a woman's innocent frankness regarding spiritual things. Neither of these men spoke for a space. The doctor was casting about for the surest and swiftest way of fetching his wife back to some ground on which he felt rather more at home, and decidedly more secure of his own footing. "Anne knew that Tom was a born gambler; she knew it before she married him. Nobody but a woman--a fanatical visionary like Anne--would have been foolish enough to expect to change a leopard's spots." "It doesn't strike me as particularly foolish for Anne--or for any other woman--to expect her husband to keep his promise not to get any _new_ spots," the lady retorted, with all the promptness and spirit that her husband anticipated. The doctor glanced at the young man as triumphantly as he dared, and the young man returned the doctor's glance as non-committally as he could. They had both often observed before this, as most observant people observe at some period of their lives, that while a man will defend another man whenever he can, regardless of his own feelings toward the individual, he has never a word to say in defence of men; and that, while a woman will seldom defend another woman without strong personal reasons, she is always ready, _cap-a-pie_, to defend women, through thick and thin. Nevertheless, the doctor was again a trifle disappointed to find his wife content with firing a single shot, and he presently said, trying to urge her on:-- "I have not disputed the fact that Anne Watson is a good woman. Tom no doubt made the promises that such men always make when they want to win some pretty girl, and he doubtless hoped to be strong enough to keep them. But I cannot allow a patient of mine to die or to fall into melancholy because he has failed to keep promises that many good men break; or because his wife lacks common sense; no matter how good she may be or what sort of religion she may be living up to. If Tom wants to play cards,--as I think that he does, as I am nearly sure that he does,--I shall certainly find him a partner if I can. I would play with him myself if I knew how." "Let me do it, doctor," said Lynn. "I know something about several games. It would give me real pleasure to do anything in my power for your patient." Mrs. Alexander said nothing more in opposition; she merely looked her thoughts. When, therefore, it was arranged, as the young man was leaving, that he should come on the following morning to go with the doctor to see Tom Watson about the game of cards, the lady merely gave her smooth auburn head a side-wise toss, as if to say they would all see how it turned out. VIII AT OLD LADY GORDON'S