She did not look at Jewel again during dinner. At the close Mr. Evringham pushed his chair back.
“I should like you to come with me into my study, Jewel, for a few minutes.”
The child's face brightened, and she left the table with alacrity. Mr. Evringham stood back to allow his guests to pass out. They went on to the drawing-room, where Mrs. Evringham's self-restraint was loosed.
“The plot thickens, Eloise!” she said.
“And we are not going away,” returned the girl.
“Decidedly not,” declared her mother with emphasis.
“There is no hope of our catching anything that Jewel has now,” went on Eloise.
Her mother glanced at her suspiciously. “What, for instance?”
“Oh,” returned the girl, shrugging her shoulder, “faith, hope, and charity.”
Mrs. Evringham laughed. “Indeed! Is the wind in that quarter? Then with the Christian Science microbe in the house, there's no telling what may happen to you. Something more serious than a fever, perhaps.” She nodded knowingly. “This sudden recovery looks very queer to me. I'd keep the child in bed if I were in authority. Some diseases are so treacherous. There's walking typhoid fever, for instance. She may have it for all we know. I shall have a very serious talk with Dr. Ballard when he comes.”