s maples that grew around the Perkins home. It was a large
tent, floored and carpeted, and fitted with everything that would add
to the little girl's comfort or the convenience of those who waited
on her.

Dr. Clay told Mrs. Cavers that a friend of his had presented him with
the whole outfit for the use of any one who might need it.

The neighbours, moved now by the same spirit that prompted them to
harvest Mrs. Cavers's crop, came bringing many and various gifts.
Mrs. Motherwell brought chickens, Mrs. Slater fresh eggs, Mrs. Green
a new eiderdown quilt; Aunt Kate Shenstone came over to sit up at
nights. Aunt Kate had had experience with the dread disease, and felt
in a position to express an expert opinion on it. There was no cure
for it; Bill had not recovered, neither would Libby Anne--this she
told Mrs. Perkins and Martha. She knew it--it would let your hopes
rise sometimes, but in the end it always showed its hand,
unmistakable and merciless--oh, she knew it!

The doctor, knowing more about it than even Aunt Kate, was hopeful,
and never allowed a doubt of the ultimate result to enter his mind.

Pearl Watson came in every night on her way home from school to see
Libby Anne, and many were the stories she told and the games she
invented to beguile the long hours for the little girl. One night
when she came into the tent Dr. Clay was sitting beside Libby Anne's
bed, gently stroking her thin little hand. The child's head was
turned away from the door, and she did not hear Pearl coming in.

Libby Anne and the doctor were having a serious conversation.

"Doctor," she said, "am I going to die?"

"Oh, no, Libby," the doctor answered quickly, "you're just staying
out here in the tent to get rid of your cold, so you can go to your
grandmother's. You would like to go to Ontario to see your
Grandmother and Aunt Edith, wouldn't you?"

"I want to go to my grandmother's," she said slowly, "but I'd like to
see Bud first. I'm Bud's girl, you know," and a smile played over her
face. "Bud said I must never forget that I am his girl. Have you a
girl, Doctor?"

The doctor laughed and looked up at Pearl. "No-body ever promised to
be my girl, Libby," was his reply.

"I wish you had one, so you could tell me about it," she said, quite
disappointed.

"I can tell you what it is like, all right--or at least, I can
imagine what it would be like."

"Would you stay away from your girl and never come back, and forget
all about her