Harrie was groaning over the last wristband but one, when she heard her husband’s voice in the hall.

“Harrie, Harrie, your friend is here.  I found her, by a charming accident, at the station, and drove her home.”  And Miss Dallas, gloved, perfumed, rustling, in a very becoming veil and travelling-suit of the latest mode, swept in upon her.

Harrie was too much of a lady to waste any words on apology, so she ran just as she was, in her calico dress, with the collar hanging, into Pauline’s stately arms, and held up her little burning cheeks to be kissed.

But her husband looked annoyed.

He came down before tea in his best coat to entertain their guest.  Biddy was “taking an afternoon” that day, and Harrie bustled about with her aching back to make tea and wash the children.  She had no time to spend upon herself, and, rather than keep a hungry traveller waiting, smoothed her hair, knotted a ribbon at the collar, and came down in her calico dress.

Dr. Sharpe glanced at it in some surprise.  He repeated the glances several times in the course of the evening, as he sat chatting with his wife’s friend.  Miss Dallas was very sprightly in conversation; had read some, had thought some; and had the appearance of having read and thought about twice as much as she had.

Myron Sharpe had always considered his wife a handsome woman.  That nobody else thought her so had made no difference to him.  He had often looked into the saucy eyes of little Harrie Bird, and told her that she was very pretty.  As a matter of theory, he supposed her to be very pretty, now that she was the mother of his three children, and breaking her back to cut out his shirts.

Miss Dallas was a generously framed, well-proportioned woman, who carried long trains, and tied her hair with crimson velvet.  She had large, serene eyes, white hands, and a very pleasant smile.  A delicate perfume stirred as she stirred, and she wore a creamy lace about her throat and wrists.

Calicoes were never becoming to Harrie, and that one with the palm-leaf did not fit her well,—­she cut it herself, to save expense.  As the evening passed, in reaction from the weariness of shirt-cutting she grew pale, and the sallow tints upon her face came out; her features sharpened, as they had a way of doing when she was tired; and she had little else to do that evening than think how tired she was, for her husband observing, as he remarked afterwards, that she did not feel like talking, kindly entertained her friend himself.

As they went up stairs for the night, it struck him, for the first time in his life, that Harrie had a snubbed nose.  It annoyed him, because she was his wife, and he loved her, and liked to feel that she was as well looking as other women.

“Your friend is a bright girl,” he said, encouragingly, when Harrie had hushed a couple of children, and sat wearily down to unbutton her boots.