His tone of desperate sincerity told Eva all she wanted to know; and in a moment she switched the conversation back to safer ground. "You needn't give your life for her, Mr. Dowson, but I'll tell you what you can do. You can lend me your _Punch_ to take her. I promised to bring her a copy from Dent's, and he is sold out." Mr. Dowson was genuinely delighted to follow the suggestion and insisted on depleting the table in his waiting-room of various periodicals which might relieve the tedium of a day in bed; and Eva took the bundle amiably, promising to deliver them in person to Toni on her way home. She fulfilled her mission punctually; and when Owen, unaware of her presence in the house, came to see how his wife was getting on, he found her bed literally strewn with the papers which should have soothed the fears of the quaking patients in Mr. Dowson's gloomy waiting-room. "Hallo, Toni." He turned to her smilingly, after greeting Eva. "I hope you've got plenty to read. I didn't know you hankered after the illustrated papers, or I'd have sent out for some. It's very good of Mrs. Herrick to bring you such an assortment." "Ah, but these were sent by a friend of your wife's," smiled Eva sweetly. "I'm not the principal party in the transaction--I'm only the middleman." "Really? Who has been so generous then?" asked Owen, taking up one of the papers at random as he spoke. "Mr. Dowson, the dentist at Sutton," said Eva, turning her large Irish eyes on him pleasantly. "You know, of course, he is an old friend of Mrs. Rose's, and I must say he is a most gentle and satisfactory person in his work." "A dentist? Dowson?" Owen's eyes roamed from Eva's face to Toni's, and something in the manner of both girls puzzled him. "I don't know him, do I, Toni? Is he really an old friend of yours? But you've never asked him here, have you?" "He--he's not exactly an old friend," said Toni, annoyed to feel herself colouring. "I mean--oh, I've known him a long time in a way--he was a friend of the boys--my cousins, but that was all. And anyway he has not been here long." "Oh." Owen was still vaguely perplexed by her manner. "Well, if he's a decent chap you must ask him over." "Oh, I'm sure he wouldn't come." Toni spoke quickly. "He is not your sort, Owen. I mean--I don't think he would care to come. Do you, Mrs. Herrick?" Thus appealed to, Eva gave her verdict with a show of hesitation. "N-no, I hardly think he would." She turned to Owen. "I don't think I would ask him, if I were you, Mr. Rose. I expect it would make him feel a little--well, awkward." "But----" Owen did not know what to make of it. "You see, if he is sufficiently intimate with my wife to send her all these papers and things, it looks rather odd if I take no notice of him, doesn't it? I really think we must ask him over when Toni is herself again, eh, Toni?"