Etext prepared by Project Gutenberg Distributed ProofreadersGEOFFREY STRONGByLaura E RichardsAuthor ofCaptain January Melody Marie etc  TO  Richard Sullivan  KINDEST OF UNCLES FRIENDS AND CRITICS  THIS STORY IS AFFECTIONATELY  DEDICATEDCONTENTSCHAPTER   I THE TEMPLE OF VESTA  II THE YOUNG DOCTOR III GARDEN FANCIES  IV MOSTLY PROFESSIONAL   V LETTERWRITING AND HYSTERICS  VI INFORMATION VII FESTIVITYVIII REVELATION  IX SIDE LIGHTS   X OVER THE WAY  XI BROKEN BONES XII CONVALESCENCEXIII RECOVERYILLUSTRATIONSHe paddled on in silenceThe young doctor glancing around saw all these thingsHe stood looking at her his hand still on the hammock ropeThere he comes full chisel cried Ithuriel ButtersCHAPTER ITHE TEMPLE OF VESTAThats a pleasant looking house said the young doctor Whatsthe matter with my getting taken in thereThe old doctor checked his horse and looked at the house with asmileNothing in the world he said except the small fact that theywouldnt take youWhy not asked the young man vivaciously Too rich too proudtoo young too old whats the matter with themThe old doctor laughed outright this time You young firebrand hesaid Do you think you are going to take this village by stormThat house is the Temple of Vesta It is inhabited by the VestalVirgins who tend the sacred fire and do other things beside Youmight as well ask to be taken into the meetinghouse to boardThis is more attractive than the meetinghouse said the youngdoctor This is one of the most attractive houses I ever sawHe looked at it earnestly and as they drove along the elmshadedstreet he turned in his seat to look at it againIt certainly was an attractive house Its front of bright clean redbrick was perhaps too near the street but the garden whose talllilac and syringa bushes waved over the top of the high wall musthe thought run back some way and from the west windows there mustbe a glorious seaviewThe house looked both genteel and benevolent The white stone stepsand windowsills and the white fan over the door gave a certaineffect of clean linen that was singularly pleasing The young doctorunlike Doctor Johnson had a passion for clean linen The knockertoo was of the graceful long oval shape he liked and burnished tothe last point of perfection and the shining windows were so placedas to give an air of cheerful interrogation to the wholeI like that house said the young doctor again Tell me about thepeopleAgain the old doctor laughed I tell you they are the Vestal Virginshe repeated There are two of them Miss Phoebe and Miss Vesta BlythMiss Phoebe is as good as gold but something of a manhater Shedoesnt think much of the sex in general but she is a good friendof mine and shell be good to you for my sake Miss Vestatheyoung doctor who was observant noted a slight change in his heartyvoiceVesta Blyth is a saintWhat kind of saint invalid bedridden blindNo no no saints dont all have to be bedridden Vesta is ayoumight call her Saint Placidia Her life has been shadowed She wasonce engagedto a very worthy young manthirty years ago The daybefore the wedding he was drowned sailboat capsized in a squalljust in the bay here Since then she keeps a light burning in theback hall looking over the water Thats why I call the house theTemple of VestaDay and nightNo no lights it at sunset every evening regularly Sun dipsVesta lights her lamp Pretty I think soAffecting certainly said the young doctor And she has mournedher lover ever sinceThe old doctor gave him a quaint look People dont mourn thirtyyears he said unless their minds are diseased Women mournlonger than men of course but ten years would be a long limiteven for a woman Memory of course may last as long as lifesacredand tender memoryhis voice dropped a little and he passed hishand across his foreheadbut not mourning Vesta is a littlepensive a little silent more habit than anything else now A sweetwoman the sweetestThe old doctor seemed to forget his companion and flicked the oldbrown horse pensively as they jogged along saying no moreThe young doctor waited a little before he put his next questionThe two ladies live alone alwaysYesno said the old doctor coming out of his reverie TheresDiploma Crotty help tyrant governorinchief of the kitchen Nowand then she thinks theyd better have a visitor and tells them sobut not very often it upsets her kitchen But here we are at theparsonage and Ill take you inThe young doctor made his visit at the parsonage dutifully andcarefully He meant to make a good impression wherever he went Itwas no such easy matter to take the place of the old doctor whoafter a lifetime of faithful and loving work had been ordered offfor a years rest and travel but the young doctor had plenty ofcourage and meant to do his best He answered evasively the inquiryof the ministers wife as to where he meant to board and though henoted down carefully the addresses she gave him of nice motherlywomen who would keep his things in order and have an eye to him incase he should be ailing he did not intend to trouble these goodladies if he could help himselfI want to live in that brick house he said to himself Ill havea try for it anyhow The old ladies cant be insulted by my tellingthem they have the best house in the villageAfter dinner he went for a walk and strolled along the pleasantshady street There were many good houses for Elmerton was an oldvillage Vessels had come into her harbour in bygone days andsubstantial merchant captains had built the comfortable roomymansions which stretched their ample fronts under the drooping elmswhile their back windows looked out over the sea breaking at thevery foot of their garden walls But there was no house that comparedin the young doctors mind with the Temple of Vesta He was walkingslowly past it admiring the delicate tracery on the whitewindowsills when the