rousers pocket, will you?"

"Here, take mine. Don't stir--I'll call Miss Rowe; she'll know what to
do. That beastly bottle; it's all my fault!"

In her flurry she entered her brother's bedroom without knocking,
calling out:

"Miss Rowe, can you come quickly? My nephew has had a horrid accident
here."

"Accident?"

"Yes; will you give us a hand?"

Esther was leaning over the bed on the opposite side from the doctor,
who had that moment administered an injection to the patient. She
straightened up and stared in alarm at Miss Clifford, holding in her
hand the hypodermic needle she had just taken mechanically from the
doctor.

"Certainly, I'll come at once."

She hastened after the older woman, leaving the doctor to draw up the
cover over the old man.

"Nurse!"

There was a note of slight annoyance in the doctor's voice as he viewed
her abrupt departure.

"I won't be a second, doctor.... Oh, what has he done to his hand?"

She was already beside Roger. He was endeavouring to staunch the flow
of blood with his aunt's handkerchief, which was already sopping.

"My dear girl, it's merely a cut. If you can get me a towel or
something----"

"Let me look."

Gently she examined the deep and jagged wound.

"Ugh! What a horrid affair! It must be seen to properly. Will you
hold your hand over this newspaper while I fetch some water and
bandages?"

For an instant she stuck her head into the bedroom door, to say
reassuringly to her patient:

"It's only a cut, Sir Charles, nothing serious."

Then she dashed off in search of her little first-aid box, returning a
moment later with it and a basin of water. Miss Clifford cleared the
table for her paraphernalia.

"What a comfort you are. Miss Rowe! Do you think it will want
stitching up?"

"Oh, no! But he must keep it bandaged. It's in such an awkward place,
the right hand, too."

"Good-bye to tennis, also golf, for the rest of my stay," was Roger's
rueful comment. "What rotten luck!"

Esther worked skilfully and quickly: soon the injured hand was swathed
in a neat and snowy bandage that smelled of iodine. She was aware that
Roger's eyes not only followed the movements of her fingers, but dwelt
as well on her cheek, her mouth, the downward sweep of her lashes. It
was a pleasant moment, fraught with potentialities.

"Can I be of any assistance?"

The question came in a somewhat laboured manner from the door behind.
Over her shoulder Esther