re was in his face faded slowly out of it and his lips
quivered as he whispered, "You--you ain't--jest foolin'? You mean it,
honest Injun?"

"Yes, Jim--honest."

He struggled to a sitting posture. "Cross your heart!" he ordered
breathlessly.

She made the sign that children make. "Cross my heart, Jim. You are my
boy now," she said.

With a long, happy breath Jim fell back on his pillow. His eyes began to
shine, and a spot of red burned in each thin cheek. "O gee!" he cried
exultantly, and again, "O _gee_! I'll get well in a hurry now, Miss
Laura." Then eagerly, "Where'll I live?"

"I don't know yet. I'll find a place," she promised.

He nodded, happily content just then to leave that in her hands.

"An' I'll grow big soon," he crowed, "and I can earn a lot of money when
I'm well, carryin' papers an'--an' other ways. An' you'll let me be a
Boy Scout soon's I'm big enough, an' a soldier when I get over being
lame?"

Laura nodded, and again Jim drew a long rapturous breath. When Laura
went away his eyes followed her, and as from the door she looked back at
him, he waved his hand to her and then settled down on his pillow to
dream happy waking dreams. He was somebody's boy once more.

Laura found the girls waiting for her in the reception room.

"Did you find your blue-eyed baby?" she asked.

"We found one----" Alice Reynolds began, and Rose broke in,

"But, O Miss Laura, her mother was with her and she wouldn't hear of
giving her up. I don't wonder--such a darling as she is!"

"You can try at the Orphan Asylum," Miss Laura said, the words sending
her thoughts back in a flash to Jim.

"Miss Laura, I wish we could have Jim. I think he's a dear!" Mary
Hastings said as they left the hospital.

"Jim's pre-empted. He's my boy now," Laura answered quickly.

"O Miss Laura, I wanted him too for our Camp Fire child," Frances said.
"Are you really going to adopt him--have him live with you?"

"I don't know, Frances, about the living. When I found that he was
fairly dying of loneliness and dread of the Orphan Asylum, I just had to
do something; so I told him he should be my boy and I would take care of
him. I know my father won't mind the expense, but he may object to
having the boy live with us. Of course, if he does I shall find a good
home for him elsewhere."

"But, Miss Laura, why can't we all 'adopt' him?" Frances pleaded. "I'd
so much rather have him than any baby. And there are always people ready
to adop