was
now going West to do some honest work in the world before he thought any
more about girls. I commended his manly decision. He was rather rueful
over the notion that he might have hurt Miss Talbert by his bad conduct.
I begged him not to distress himself, his first duty now was to get
well. I asked him if he would do me the favor, with the doctor's
permission, of taking the fresh air with his mother on the terrace of
the hospital about half-past five that afternoon. He looked puzzled, but
promised that he would do it; and so we parted.

After dinner I requested Peggy to make me happy by going for a little
drive in the runabout with me. She came down looking as fresh as a wild
rose, in a soft, white dress with some kind of light greenery about
it, and a pale green sash around her waist, and her pretty, sunset hair
uncovered. If there is any pleasanter avocation for an old fellow than
driving in an open buggy with a girl like that, I don't know it. She
talked charmingly: about my travels; about her college friends; about
Eastridge; and at last about her disappointment in not going to Europe.
By this time we were nearing the Whitman hospital.

"I suppose you have heard," said she, looking down at her bare hands
and blushing; "perhaps they have told you why I wanted especially to go
away."

"Yes, my dear child," I answered, "they have told me a lot of nonsense,
and I am heartily glad that it is all over. Are you?"

"More glad than I can tell you," she answered, frankly, looking into my
face.

"See," said I, "there is the hospital. I believe there is a boy in there
that knows you--name of Goward."

"Yes," she said, rather faintly, looking down again, but not changing
color.

"Peggy," I asked, "do you still--think now, and answer truly--do you
still HATE him?"

She waited a moment, and then lifted her clear blue eyes to mine. "No,
Uncle Gerrit, I don't hate him half as much as I hate myself. Really, I
don't hate him at all. I'm sorry for him."

"So am I, my dear," said I, stretching my interest in the negligible
youth a little. "But he is getting well, and he is going West as soon
as possible. Look, is that the boy yonder, sitting on the terrace with
a fat lady, probably his mother? Do you feel that you could bow to him,
just to oblige me?"

She flashed a look at me. "I'll do it for that reason, and for another,
too," she said. And then she nodded her red head, in the prettiest way,
and threw in an honest sm