t the
nurse, shuddering.

"But you're sick, lovie. And a doctor would make you well. There! There!
Listen to Jane, dearie."

Thomas laid an anxious hand on the yellow head. "The doctor won't hurt
you," he declared. "He only gives bread-pills, anyhow."

"_No-o-o!_" She flung herself back upon the bed, catching at the pillows
as if to hide beneath them, writhing pitifully, moaning, beseeching with
terrified eyes.

Jane and Thomas stared helplessly at each other, their faces guilty and
frightened.

"Dearie!" cried Jane; "hush and we won't--Oh, Thomas, I'm fairly
distracted!--Pettie, we _won't_ have the doctor."

Gradually Gwendolyn quieted. Then carefully, and by degrees, Jane
approached the matter of medical aid in a new way.

"We'll just telephone," she declared, "We wont let any old doctor come
here--not a _bit_ of it. We'll ask him to send something. Is _that_ all
right. _Please_, darlin'."

Reluctantly, Gwendolyn yielded. "The medicine'll be awful nasty," she
faltered.

To that Jane made no reply. Her every freckle was standing out clearly.
Her reddish eyes bulged. She hunted a number in the telephone-directory
with fumbling fingers. After which she held the receiver to her ear with
a shaking hand. "Everything's goin' wrong," she mourned.

Huddled into a little ball, and still as a frightened bird, Gwendolyn
listened to the message.

"Hello!... Hello! Is this the Doctor speakin'?... Oh, this is Miss
Gwendolyn's nurse, sir.... _Yes_ sir. Well, Miss Gwendolyn's a little
nervous to-day, sir. Not sick enough to call you in, sir.... But I was
goin' to ask if you couldn't send something soothin'. She's been cryin'
like, that's all.... Yes, sir, and wakeful--"

"A little hysterical yesterday," prompted Thomas, in a low voice.

"A little hysterical yesterday," went on Jane. "...Yes, sir, by
messenger.... I'll be _most_ careful, sir.... Thank you, sir."

Jane and Thomas combined to make the remainder of the afternoon less
dull. One by one the favorite toys came down from the second shelf. And
a miniature circus took place on the rug beside the bed--a circus in
which each toy played a part. Gwendolyn's fear was charmed away. She
laughed, and drank copious draughts of water--delicious bubbling water
that Thomas poured from tall bottles.

Jane had her own supper beside the white-and-gold bed--coffee and a
sandwich only. Gwendolyn still had no appetite, but seemed almost her
usual self once more. So much so tha