"Now, you are tired," he said. "I'll read the paper for myself."
"No, no." She took it away playfully. "When my voice gets shaky, you may ask me to stop;" and the mirth in her tone was good to hear.
How delightful it was to lean back comfortably and listen to the pleasant voice, with its subtle variations. Ah, if Aldis Bartram could have made sure of her in that other time, before she had learned to love and had her sorrow. And now he seemed to be settled in bachelor ways, and resolved to miss the sweetness of love and life.
"Aldis," he said, at the tea table, "do you know young Dr. Langdale?"
"In a way. He is not in my line, you know. A very promising young fellow. Were you thinking of trying him?"
"Oh, no. But he is from Pittsburg. The Hassels and Miss Pemberton seem to know him quite well. And he is a friend of Daffodil's."
"Oh, and is that lieutenant his brother?"
Daffodil blushed, though why, she could not have told, and she merely nodded.
"Mrs. Hassel seems to think very highly of him."
"He's made some sort of discovery—they had him at Dr. Rush's, and he is in a fair way to success. Score one for Pittsburg."