"It's very good of you to come," said Mona. "I did not half expect to see you."
"My dear," was the calm announcement, "I am going all the way."
"Nonsense!"
"Father remarked most opportunely that I seemed to be in need of a little change, and I gave him no peace till he allowed me to come with you. He admitted that such an opportunity might not occur again. He would have been here to see us off, but he had a big consultation at ten. You will show me the school and the hospital and everything, won't you?"
"That I will," said Mona.
That she would at all have preferred to keep away from her old haunts and companions, just at present, never crossed the mind of large-souled Doris. "Mona capable of such pettiness!" she would have said in reply to the suggestion. "You little know her!"
"One has not much space for minutiæ in a telegram," said Mona, "or I would have explained that I am going to see a friend who is very ill. You have heard me speak of Lucy Reynolds?"
"Oh, I am sorry! But I shall not be in your way, you know. If you can spare a few hours some day, that is all I want."
"It is a matter of no moment of course, but do you happen to have any notion where you mean to put up?"
"I shall go to my aunt in Park Street of course, the one whose 'At Homes' you so loftily refused to attend. Father telegraphed to her last night, and I got a very cordial reply before I started. In point of fact, she is always glad to have me without notice. We don't stand on ceremony on either side."