When Dr. Tolbridge heard what had happened, he was sorely troubled.  “I must go to see her,” he said.  “I cannot allow her to remain in that state of mind.  I think I can explain the affair and make her look at it more as we do, although, I must admit, now that I recall some things she recently said to me, that she may have some grave objections to Cicely’s residence at Cobhurst.  But I shall see her, and I think I can pacify her.”

Mrs. Tolbridge was not so hopeful as her husband; he had not seen Miss Panney at the front door.  But she could not bring herself to regret the advice she had given him when he proposed consulting Miss Panney in regard to the Dranes’ removal.

“I shall never object to La Fleur,” she said to herself.  “I will bear all her impositions and queernesses for the sake of his health and pleasure, but I cannot give up my little room to Cicely Drane.”

And that very hour she caused to be replaced in the said room the desk and other appurtenances which had been taken out when the room had been arranged for the secretary.

These changes had hardly been made, when Dora Bannister called.

“Miss Panney was at our house to-day,” said the girl, “and I cannot imagine what was the matter with her.  I never saw anybody in such a state of mind.”

“What did she say?” asked Mrs. Tolbridge.

“She said very little, and that was one of the strangest things about her.  But she sat and stared and stared and stared at me, as if I were some sort of curiosity on exhibition, and did not answer anything I said to her.  I was awfully nervous, though I knew from the few words she had said that she was not angry with me; but she kept on staring and staring and staring, and then she suddenly leaned forward and put her arms around me and kissed me.  Then she sat back in her chair again, slapped her two hands upon her knees, and said, speaking to herself, ’It shall be done.  I am a fool to have a doubt about it.’  And then she went without another word.  Now was not that simply amazing?  Did she come here, and did she act in that way?”

“She was here,” said Mrs. Tolbridge, “but she did not do anything so funny as that.”

“Well, I suppose I shall find out some day what she means,” said Dora.  “And now, Mrs. Tolbridge, I did not come altogether to see you this afternoon.  I hope Miss Drane has not gone home yet, for I thought it would be nice to meet her here.  Mother and I are going to call on them, but I do not know when that will be; and I have heard so much about the doctor’s secretary that I am perishing to see her.  They say she is very pretty and bright.  I wanted mother to go there to-day, but we have had a long drive this morning, and to-morrow she and I and Herbert are going to call at Cobhurst; and you know mother will never consent to crowd things.  And so I thought I would come here this afternoon by myself.  It won’t be like a call, you know.”