“The Dranes are not with Mrs. Brinkly now,” said Mrs. Tolbridge.  “They left yesterday afternoon, although some of their things were not sent away until this morning.”

The old lady’s hands dropped from her bonnet-strings to her lap.

“Left Mrs. Brinkly!” she exclaimed.  “And where have they gone?”

“To Cobhurst, where they will board for a while, during the hot weather.  They found it very close and uncomfortable in that part of the town, with the mercury in the eighties.”

Miss Panney sat up tall and straight.  Her eyes grew bigger and blacker as with her mental vision she glared upon the situation.  Presently she spoke, and her voice sounded as if she were in a great empty cask, with her mouth at the bunghole.

“Who did this?” she asked.

Mrs. Tolbridge was glad to talk; it suited her much better at this time to do the talking than for her companion to do it, and she proceeded quite volubly.

“Oh, we all thought the change would be an excellent thing for them, especially for Mrs. Drane, who is not strong; and as they had seen Cobhurst and were charmed with the place, and as the Haverleys were quite willing to take them for a little while, it seemed an excellent thing all round.  It was, however, our cook, La Fleur, who was the chief mover in the matter.  She was very much opposed to their staying with Mrs. Brinkly,—­you see she had lived with them and has quite an affection for them,—­and actually went so far as to talk of taking a house in the country and boarding them herself.  And you know, Miss Panney, how bad it would be for the doctor to lose La Fleur.”

“Did the doctor have anything to do with this?” asked Miss Panney.

Now Mrs. Tolbridge did hesitate a little.

“Yes,” she said, “he spoke to the Haverleys about it; he thought it would be an excellent thing for them.”

Miss Panney rose, with her face as hard as granite.  She drew her shawl about her shoulders, and took up her fan and bag.  Mrs. Tolbridge also rose, much troubled.

“You must not imagine for a minute, Miss Panney,” she said, “that the doctor had the slightest idea that this removal would annoy you.  In fact, he spoke about consulting you in regard to it, and had he seen you before the affair was settled, I am sure he would have done so.  And you must not think, either, that the doctor urged the Haverleys to take these ladies, simply because he wished to keep La Fleur.  He values her most highly, but he thought of others than himself.  He spoke particularly of the admirable influence Mrs. Drane would have on Miriam.”

The old lady turned her flashing eyes on Mrs. Tolbridge, and, slightly lowering her head, she almost screamed these words:  “Blow to the top of the sky Mrs. Drane’s influence on Miriam!  That is not what I care for.”

Then she turned and walked out of the parlor, followed by Mrs. Tolbridge.  At the front door she stopped and turned her wrathful and inexorable countenance upon the doctor’s wife; then she deliberately shook her skirts, stamped her feet, and went out of the door.