raight into her sad eyes.
"I couldn't afford to stay any longer."
"You made a big mistake. It wouldn't have cost you a cent. That room was
free. I made sure of that before I secured it for you."
"But that was a private room!"
"Just a little more private than the wards. That room was paid for and
put at the disposal of the doctor to use for whoever he thought needed
quiet. Now are you satisfied? And you are going straight back there till
you are well enough to go out again! You raised a big row in the
hospital, running away. They've had the whole force of assistants out
hunting you for hours, and your nurse is awfully upset about you. She
seems to be crazy over you, anyway. She nearly wept when she telephoned
me. And I've been out for hours hunting you, stirred up the old lady on
your floor at your home, and a lot of hospitals and other places, and
then just came on you in the nick of time. I hope you've learned your
lesson, to be a good little girl after this and not run away."
He smiled indulgently, but the girl's eyes were full of tears.
"I didn't mean to make all that trouble for people. Why should you all
care about a stranger? But, oh! I'm so thankful you came! Those men
were terrible!" She shuddered. "How did you happen to come there? I
think God must have led you."
"He did!" said Courtland, with conviction.
When they reached the big city station he stowed his patient into a taxi
and sent a messenger up to the restaurant for hot chicken broth, which
he administered himself.
She lay back with her eyes closed after the broth was finished. He
realized that she had reached the full limit of her endurance. She had
forgotten even to protest against wearing his overcoat any longer.
It was a strange ride. The silent girl sat closely wrapped in her
corner, fast asleep. The car bounded over obstacles now and then, or
swung around corners and threw her about like a ball, but she did not
waken; and finally Courtland drew her head down upon his shoulder and
put his arm about her to keep her from being thrown out of her seat; and
she settled down like a tired child. He could not help thinking of that
other girl lying stark and dead in the morgue, and being glad that this
one was safe.
Nurse Wright was hovering about the hallway when the taxi drew up to the
entrance of the hospital, and Bonnie was tenderly cared for at once.
Courtland began to realize that this great hospital was an evidence of
the Pres
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