like the waves of the sea. And afterwards, she did not know just when,
the cold night air brought back to her a returning consciousness, but
with the consciousness came an even greater sense of pain.

Never in after years could Betty Ashton wholly forget the drive home
that followed. Rose Dyer and Miss McMurtry sat on either side of her,
sometimes talking, sometimes quiet, and now and then gently touching
her bandaged hands. Occasionally Dr. Barton asked her a question, to
which she replied as calmly and intelligently as possible. Otherwise
she made no movement that she could help and no sound. Anthony Graham
drove silently and grimly forward at the utmost speed that the two
livery-stable horses could attain. And although to Betty the journey
seemed to last half a lifetime, in reality it had seldom been
accomplished in so short a time.

CHAPTER XIII

THE INVALIDS

Sylvia Wharton wearing a trained nurse's costume tiptoed into a
darkened room.

Instantly the figure upon the bed turned and sighed.

"I don't see why she does not come to me, if she is no worse than you
say she is," the voice said. "Really, Sylvia, I think it would be
better for you or some one to tell me the truth."

Sylvia hesitated. "She isn't so well, Betty dear. Perhaps Dr. Barton
may be angry with me, as he distinctly said that you were not to be
worried. But as you are worrying anyhow, possibly talking things over
with me may make you feel better. It has all been most unfortunate,
Polly's being ill here in your house when you were enduring so much
yourself. But it all comes of mother's and everybody's yielding to
whatever Polly O'Neill wishes."

Sylvia sat down upon the side of the bed, taking one of Betty's hands
in hers. Ten days had passed since the accident at the cabin and the
burns on Betty's hands had almost entirely healed, but over her eyes
and the upper part of her face was a linen covering, so that it was
still impossible to guess the extent of her injury. She was apt to be
quieter, however, Sylvia had found out, when she could feel some one
touching her. And now the news of Polly for the time being kept her
interested.

"You see, mother's first mistake was in not bringing Polly straight
back home as soon as she found out what she was doing in New York.
Polly had a slight cold then and it kept getting worse each night. But
of course Polly pretended that it amounted to nothing and that the
stars would fall un