st night I
heard the clock strike almost every hour. It has been so right along. I
cannot recall when I have had a full night's rest. No sooner do I go to
bed than my mind travels like a whirlwind over everything I've done
through the day. There is no peace, no stopping it."

"We will stop it, dear. Don't worry, Uncle Tom. The doctor says you are
just a little tired, and he is going to give you some medicine that
will help you to feel better. Then you are to stay at home and rest for
a while. To-morrow you shall have your breakfast in bed and later, when
it is sunny and warm, I shall take you for a nice motor ride."

"But--but you forget, girlie, that to-morrow you won't be here."

"Oh, yes I shall. I'm going to stay. There is no law against my
changing my mind and not going to Boston, is there?"

Jean smiled down at him.

"I've wired Uncle Bob that I am going to postpone my visit," she added.

A light came into the man's eyes.

"Did the doctor----?"

"No, he didn't. I decided it myself. Do you suppose for a moment I'd
leave you just when you are going to be here at home and have some time
to entertain me? Indeed, no! Lately you've been so busy that you
couldn't take me anywhere. Now you are to desert the office and be
under my orders for a while. Oh, we'll do lots of nice things. We'll go
off in the motor and see all sorts of places I've wanted to see; and
we'll walk; and we'll read some of those books we have been trying to
get time to read together. We shall have great fun."

Mr. Curtis looked keenly at the girl for a few seconds.

"Perhaps," he remarked at last, "it won't make much difference to Uncle
Bob if you do postpone your visit for a week or two."

"I am sure it won't."

There was a deep sigh of satisfaction from the invalid.

"I'm glad you've decided to stay, little girl. Somehow it would be
about the last straw to have you leave now. I'd miss you in any case,
of course; but if I have got to be home here and round the house it
does not seem as if I could stand it to have you gone."

"I wouldn't think of going and leaving you, dear. Put your mind at
rest. I intend to stay right here until you are quite well again."

She bent down and gently kissed her uncle's forehead.

It seemed as if that kiss smoothed every wrinkle of worry from the
man's brow.

Quietly Jean tiptoed across the room and drew down the shade; then she
dropped into a chair beside the bed and took up a book. For some time
s