. But the doctor
had "come and gone" Mrs. Jackson said. He was going to stop at the
Winters, he said. Yes, they had a telephone.

Three more numbers Rosemary called, before she gained a ray of
comfort. At the fourth farmhouse the farmer's wife said that the
doctor was expected back in twenty minutes with a new brace he had
wanted them to try for their son's foot. He had offered to bring it
to them from the post-office because her husband was sick himself
with a cold--

Rosemary managed to check the good woman's flow of conversation and
to ask her to tell Doctor Hugh that he was wanted at home, when he
came. Shirley, tell him, had cut her hand.

Shirley's cries, subdued while Rosemary talked over the 'phone,
burst out again as the receiver clicked in place.

"Oh, dearest, hush!" implored Rosemary. "It doesn't hurt you so
very much, does it? Can't you be quiet till Hugh comes and makes you
all well?"

"It bleeds and bleeds," screamed Shirley, and Aunt Trudy groaned
that the child would bleed to death before their eyes.

"I'll wash it and bind it up myself," declared Rosemary, distracted
by the noise and confusion. "I don't know anything about such
things, but I think I can make it stop bleeding."

"I can't help you," said Aunt Trudy hastily. "I faint the minute I
see blood. My knees are weak now. Don't ask me to hold her, will
you, Rosemary?"

"I won't," promised Rosemary, biting her lower lip to keep it from
trembling. "I can take care of her, I know I can. Hugh keeps
bandages in this lower drawer and Winnie always has hot water in the
tea-kettle."

Aunt Trudy frankly ran from the room when Rosemary returned from the
kitchen with a basin of warm water and arranged a package of gauze
and the scissors on the glass topped table between the windows.

"I can't stay--I simply can not stay," she stammered and ran
upstairs to lie on her bed with her fingers in her ears.

Her going was rather a relief to Rosemary who was sure she would be
less nervous and shaky herself with her aunt out of the room. But
before she had finished with Shirley she was ready to admit that the
mere presence of a third person would have been some comfort,
however cold.

For Shirley shrieked protestingly when Rosemary approached her to
carry her over to the table. She fought off all attempts to look at
her hand. And when Rosemary forced her to yield and gently plunged
the poor little hand into the basin of water which was promptly
stain