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THE DOCTOR.
45
at once to Number sixty-eight, Garfield Avenue. Ask for Miss Alice Deane. Tell her that I have been called on a most urgent case, and I will see her at the first possible moment."
A moment later the runabout whizzed away into the darkness.
As time slipped by, and the doctor failed to appear, Alice struggled bravely to keep her composure. Suddenly the bell rang sharply, and with a glad cry she ran, herself, to answer it. In a moment she reappeared in the doorway, her face pale, her dark eyes flashing.
"Doctor Gray has been called away," she said, quietly; "we will eat our dinner."
"I never wanted iilice to marry a doctor," cried Mrs. Deane's plaintiff voice.
Aunt Patricia rose to the occasion. "It is not his fault. Such things are unavoidable in his profession," she said, smoothly. "As Alice says, it is best to eat our dinner."
"Watch that deadly calm of
Alice's," whispered the irrepressible Bob. "Poor old doctor !"
With proud dignity Alice led the way to the dining-room. Once there, sitting opposite the empty place, her composure vanished. With a sob she fled from the room. There was a general movement to follow her, but Aunt Patricia quelled it.
"All of you stay right here. This is very hard for Alice, and 1 know her ways. Let her alone for awhile."
"Can't I go, Aunt Patricia ?" begged Bob. "She won't mind me; you know I'm only a kid."
"Yes, and Bob's her favorite," said his father, "let him go."
So Bob found Alice sobbing her heart out on the great divan in the library. And, being possessed of the fine intuition of youth, and a real fondness for Alice, he sat quietly beside her while she cried.
At last she half lifted her head. "I shall never marry him," she declared, "I couldn't bear to be always second."
ALICE PRECEDED HER GUESTS TO THE TABLE.