Cora put two fingers to her blistered cheek, saying: "You can't ask me to come down with this face."
"True, I can't. Good-night, step-mamma; it would have been better if you had let the doctor pull that tooth."
And Miss Payne swept away, leaving the would-be fugitive to her own reflections.
CHAPTER XLIII.
THE DOCTOR'S WOOING.
Mrs. Ralston had become to Olive Girard as one of the family. There was a strange affinity between the two women, who had known so much of sorrow, so many dark, dark days. As yet, however, there was not entire confidence. Mrs. Ralston knew nothing of the movements then on foot to liberate the husband of her hostess; and Olive knew no more of Mrs. Ralston's past than had been communicated by Claire, which was in reality but very little.
Dr. Vaughan had become an ardent admirer of the grave, sweet, pale lady, who had, in her turn, conceived a very earnest admiration for him.
Always a close student of the human countenance, Mrs. Ralston had not been long in reading in the face of the young man his regard for Claire Keith. Having discovered this, she studied him still more attentively, coming, at last, to the conclusion that he was worthy of her beloved Claire.