help at all.
She might be going upon a fool's errand, but all these suppositions and
forebodings she brushed aside. She was bent upon an errand of simple
kindness and help. If she found she was not needed she could return home
and no harm done.

Receiving no response to her knock, she went quietly into the living
room. A lamp burned low upon the table. There was no one to be seen.
Upstairs a child was wailing and the mother's voice could be heard
soothing the little one to sleep. From a bedroom, of which the door
stood open, a voice called. The girl's heart stood still. It was Jack's
voice, and he was calling for his sister. She ran upstairs to the
children's room.

"He is calling for you," she said to Mrs. Waring-Gaunt without
preliminary greeting. "Let me take Doris."

But Doris set up a wail of such acute dismay that the distracted mother
said, "Could you just step in and see what is wanted? Jack has been
in bed for two days. We have been unable to get a nurse anywhere, and
tonight both little girls are ill. I am so thankful you came over.
Indeed, I was about to send for one of you. Just run down and see what
Jack wants. I hope you don't mind. I shall be down presently when Doris
goes to sleep."

"I am not going to sleep, Mamma," answered Doris emphatically. "I am
going to keep awake, for if I go to sleep I know you will go away."

"All right, darling, Mother is going to stay with you," and she took the
little one in her arms, adding, "Now we are all right, aren't we."

Kathleen ran downstairs, turned up the light in the living room and
passed quietly into the bedroom.

"Sorry to trouble you, Sybil, but there's something wrong with this
infernal bandage."

Kathleen went and brought in the lamp. "Your sister cannot leave Doris,
Mr. Romayne," she said quietly. "Perhaps I can be of use."

For a few moments the sick man gazed at her as at a vision. "Is this
another of them?" he said wearily. "I have been having hallucinations
of various sorts for the last two days, but you do look real. It is you,
Kathleen, isn't it?"

"Really me, Mr. Romayne," said the girl cheerfully. "Let me look at your
arm."

"Oh, hang it, say 'Jack,' won't you, and be decent to a fellow. My God,
I have wanted you for these ten days. Why didn't you come to me? What
did I do? I hurt you somehow, but you know I wouldn't willingly. Why
have you stayed away from me?" He raised himself upon his elbow, his
voice was high, thin, weak, his e