one. If only a taxicab would come
along. But no taxi was in sight. The girl was begging him to put on his
overcoat. She had drawn it from her own shoulders and was holding it out
to him insistently. But with the rare smile that Courtland was noted for
he took the coat and wrapped it firmly about her shoulders again, this
time putting her arms in the sleeves and buttoning it up to the chin.

"Now," said he, "you're not to take that off again until we get where it
is warm. You needn't worry about me. I'm quite used to going out in all
weathers without my coat as often as with it. Besides, I've been
exercising. When did you have something to eat?"

"When I left the hospital this evening. I had some strong beef-tea," she
answered, airily, as if that had been only a few minutes before.

"How did you happen to be where I found you?" he asked, looking at her
keenly.

"Why, I must have missed my way, I think," she explained, "and I felt a
little weak from having been in bed so long. I just sat down on a
door-step to rest a minute before I went on, and I'm afraid I must have
fallen asleep."

"You were _walking_?" His tone was stern. "Why were you walking?"

A desperate look came into her face. "Well, I hadn't any car fare, if
you must know the reason."

They were passing a street light as she said it, and he looked down at
her fine little white profile in wonder and awe. He felt a sudden
choking in his throat and a mist in his eyes. He had it on the tip of
his tongue to say, "You poor little girl!" but instead he said, in a
tone of intense admiration:

"Well, you certainly are the pluckiest girl I ever saw! You have your
nerve with you all right! But you're not going to walk another step
to-night!"

And with that he stooped, gathered her up again, and strode forward. He
could hear the distant whir of another trolley, and he determined to
take it, no matter which way it was going. It would take them somewhere
and he could telephone for an ambulance. So he sprinted forward,
regardless of her protests, and arrived at the next corner just in time
to catch the car going cityward.

There was nobody else in the car and he made her keep the coat about
her. He couldn't help seeing how worn and thin her little shabby shoes
were, and how she shivered now even in the great coat. He saw she was
just keeping up her nerve, and he was filled with admiration.

"Why did you run away from the hospital?" he asked, suddenly, looking
st