dered at first, Betty
soon recalled to their minds her coming and the visit from the
doctor. Both were very weak, and Miss Charity still was voiceless,
but their eyes were clear and there was no sign of delirium.

Betty had brought an enveloping white apron and cap with her, and she
presented an immaculate little figure as she gently sponged the hands
and faces of the old ladies and made their beds tidy and smooth.
Doctor Morrison had ordered water toast and weak tea for their
breakfast, and when Betty went out to the kitchen to prepare two
trays she found that Bob had pumped two pails of fresh water, cleared
the table and stacked the dishes in the dishpan and was taking up
ashes from the stove while he waited for the kettle of water which he
had put on for them to heat.

"I thought you'd need the teakettle yourself," observed this
energetic young man, a streak of soot across his forehead in no way
detracting from his engaging smile. "I'll have to put in an hour or
so chopping wood this afternoon. The box will be empty by noon."

Betty found that both her patients were too weak to feed themselves,
so she had to handle one tray at a time. The meal was barely over
when Doctor Morrison drove up. He found Bob washing dishes and Betty
drying them.

"Well, well, you look as bright as two dollars," said the gray old
doctor merrily. "You don't need any prescriptions, that's evident.
How are the sick ladies, Miss Nurse?"

"They slept all night--at least, I think they did," she reported
conscientiously. "I never woke up, and I think I would have heard
them call, for the door from the parlor was left open and their doors
too, of course. They slept about an hour and a half after Bob and I
were up and about. But they are very weak. I had to feed them."

"That's to be expected," said the doctor professionally. "We'll go in
and see how the fever is. I don't suppose they've seen Bob?"

Betty shook her head.

"I thought the fewer people they saw the better," she answered
quietly. "Miss Hope was afraid I was doing too much and I told her a
boy was here looking after the barns and the stock. That seemed to
satisfy her."

"Well, for two youngsters, I must say you show extraordinary good
sense," the doctor said. "I don't know what these old ladies would
have done if you hadn't taken hold."

He wanted Betty to go with him to the sick-rooms, and at his first
glance pronounced Miss Hope better. Miss Charity, too, was much
improve