gleamed in her
eyes.

"It wasn't my fault," he smiled. "I tried pretty hard to see you!"

She went back, blushing like a school-girl.

"Thank you! I'll be good! I can't realize that you are coming to
make my lonely home such a place of delight!"

She could not look up to meet the eyes that she knew were dwelling
upon her.

"I want to take you over there to-morrow," he went on. "There are
a few changes I propose making, and you may like to suggest some on
your own account. You can have it any way you please."

She glanced up now, her cheeks still aflame, her face flooded with
joy.

"I shall like to go," she said; "but I think I'll leave the changes
to you. The outside looks beautiful to me just as it is. The wide
lawn on the south side, with the background of evergreens, is
magnificent!"

"I am glad you like that. I never tire of it. So you don't want
me to trim the trees up--as some folks advise?"

"O-h!" she gasped. "The effect would be ruined!"

He smiled. "I might have done it to please you, but I think I'd
have argued a little first."

"I should have argued more than a little if you had suggested it,"
she laughed.

"I am going to build out a big veranda from the dining-room, put in
windows for the winter, and then give them over to screens through
the summer."

He paused to listen. "Dr. Temple, I presume," as a car whizzed up
and stopped. He went to the door, while Miss Sterling threw on her
coat.

Mrs. Dudley joined them, and the four proceeded to the Home.

The superintendent opened the door to them, smiling a little when
she saw Nelson Randolph.

"There is probably no real need of routing people from their beds
at this hour," she said; "but, of course, we wish to do all we can
when any one is suffering. The patient will be glad to see you,"
she added, addressing the Doctor.

The physician was swift in his diagnosis. "It is a case that calls
for quick work," he told Mrs. Dudley. "There must be an operation
at once. You think your husband will be here on the 1.03 express?"

"I feel sure of it."

"Then we will wait for him."

"She can be taken over to the hospital now;--we need not wait for
that."

Mrs. Dudley returned home to make the needful preparations, and
Juanita Sterling went to encourage Miss Crilly for the coming
ordeal.

The patient was tearful, but brave.

"Probably I never shall come back," she said; "but you are awful
good to try to save me, Miss Sterli