“There was a time when you were willing to make a little exertion for my sake,” she returned in a piqued tone, “but wives are not to expect the attention freely bestowed upon a sweetheart, and so I must go alone as usual.”

“Mamma, what a shame for you to talk so to poor papa!” exclaimed Evelyn indignantly.  “You know—­”

“Hush, hush, Evelyn,” said her father in a gently reproving tone, “be respectful to your mother, always.”

“Yes, sir,” returned the child, with a loving look into his eyes.  Then to her mother, “I beg your pardon, mamma, I did not mean to be rude; but—­” with a scrutinizing glance at the richly attired figure before her.

“Well?” laughingly interrogated the lady, as the child paused with a slight look of embarrassment and a heightened color.

“Nothing, mamma, only—­”

“Something your correct taste disapproves about my attire?”

“Yes, mamma; your dress is very handsome; quite rich and gay enough for a ball-room; but—­wouldn’t a simpler, plainer one be more suitable for a lawn-party?”

“Well, really!” was the laughing rejoinder; “the idea of such a chit as you venturing to criticise her mother’s taste in dress!  You spoil her, Eric; making so much of her and allowing her to have and express an opinion on any and every subject.  There, I must be going; I see Patrick is at the door with the carriage.  So good-by, and don’t overwork yourself, Eric.”

“Mamma,” Evelyn called after her, “Patrick is to go for the doctor, you know.”

“Oh, yes; I’ll tell him,” Mrs. Leland answered, and the next moment the carriage was whirling away down the drive.

“There, she is gone!” said Evelyn.  “Oh, papa, when I am a woman I shall not marry unless I feel that I can always be content to stay with my husband when he is not able to go with me.”

“But business may prevent him very often when sickness does not, and you may grow very weary of staying always at home,” he said, softly smoothing her hair, then bending to touch his lips to her smooth white forehead and smile into the large dark eyes lifted to his as she knelt at the side of his chair.

“No, no! not if he is as dear and kind as you are, papa.  But no other man is, I think.”

“Quite a mistake, my pet; the world surely contains many better men than your father.”

“I should be exceedingly angry if any one else said that to me,” she returned indignantly.

At that he drew her closer to him with a little pleased laugh.  “We love each other very dearly, do we not, my darling?” he said; then sighed deeply.

“Indeed we do!” she answered, gazing anxiously up into his face.  “How pale and ill you look, papa! do lie down and rest.”

“Presently, when my work has progressed a little farther,” he said, putting her gently aside, straightening himself and resuming his pencil.

Evelyn was beginning a remonstrance, but at the sound of wheels upon the drive sprang to the window, exclaiming, “Can mamma be coming back already?  She has perhaps changed her mind about attending the party.  No,” as she caught sight of the vehicle, “it is the doctor.  I’m glad.”