k, and went to the hospital, where I
learned that they will recover."

"Show me to Hamilton's room, Betty, and bring two lobsters there instead
of one. He and I will have dinner together," I said, turning to go with
her.

"He doesn't seem to want to eat, though I doubt if his lack of appetite
is owing wholly to his wounds," she replied, as we were leaving the
tap-room.

"How long has he been here?" I asked.

"Since yesterday noon," she answered. "He came just in time to find
trouble. An hour ago I took a bowl of broth to him and a plate of
sparrow-grass, but he said dolefully that the food would stick in his
throat. I told him he was not wounded in the throat. Then he said it was
in his heart, and that such a wound kills the appetite. I believe he's in
love, Baron Ned," she concluded, leaning toward me and whispering
earnestly.

"With you, Betty?" I asked.

"No, no, with some one else."

"Would it make you unhappy?" I asked.

"To be in love?" she asked, arching her eyebrows.

"No. For him to be in love," I said.

"If he is unhappily so, I should be sorry," she answered.

"And you would not be jealous?" I asked.

"Ah, Baron Ned!" she returned, protestingly.

CHAPTER VI

SWEET BETTY PICKERING

When we knocked at Hamilton's door, he answered, "Come," and I entered,
Betty closing the door behind me, leaving George and me together. He
was lying on the bed, his head and arms bandaged, and a feverish gleam
shining in his eyes. I went toward him, offering my hand. He rose and sat
on the edge of the bed, but did not accept my greeting. I was about to
speak when he lifted his hand to interrupt me, saying coldly:--

"Well, Clyde, what do you want?"

"I want to see you and help you, if I can," I answered, in surprise.

"Now that you have seen me, you may go," he returned.

I did not know the cause of his ill feeling, though I knew that something
had happened to turn him against me, so I stood my ground and answered:--

"I shall go if you insist, but before I go, please tell me in what manner
I have offended you. Neither you nor I have so many friends that we can
afford to lose one without an effort to save him. The world is full of
men and women, but a friend is a gift of God. I thought you had forgiven
me what I said at Sundridge. Your time to take offence was then, not
now."

"I hold no ill will for what you said then in my hearing. It is what you
have done in so cowardly a manner since I last