I wouldn't urge her, Charlotte, if she doesn't want to go," she
said, with a glance at Lucy, who was leaning back in a big chair with a
discontented expression. "You mustn't expect people from the South to
enjoy your freezing weather as you seem to. Lucy feels the cold very
much."

Charlotte and Randolph marched away down the street together, the boy as
full of spirits as his companion.

She had found it easy from the first to make friends with him, and was
beginning, in spite of certain rather unpleasant qualities of his, to
like him very much. His mother had done her best to spoil him, yet the
child showed plainly that there was in him the material for a sturdy,
strong character.

When Charlotte had made several small purchases at the market, she did
not offer to give Randolph the little wicker basket she carried, but the
boy took it from her with a smile and a proud air.

"Ran," said Charlotte, "just round this corner there's a jolly hill. I
don't believe anybody will mind if we have a race down it, do you?"

It was a back street, and the hill was an inviting one. The two had
their race, and Randolph won by a yard. Just as the pair, laughing and
panting, slowed down into their ordinary pace, a runabout, driven by a
smiling young man in a heavy ulster and cap, turned the corner with a
rush. Amid a cloud of steam the motor came to a standstill.

"Aha! Caught you at it!" cried Doctor Churchill. "Came down that hill
faster than the law allows. Get in here, both of you, and take the run
out to the hospital with me. I shall not be there long. I've been out
once this morning. This is just to make sure of a case I operated on two
hours ago."

"Shall we, Ran?" asked Charlotte.

"Oh, let's!" said the boy, with enthusiasm. So away they went. The
result of the expedition came out later in the day. Before dinner the
entire household was grouped about the fire, Doctor Churchill having
just come in, after one of his busiest days.

"Been out to the hospital again, Cousin Andy?" Ran asked.

"Yes; twice since the noon visit."

"How was the little boy with the broken waist?

"Fractured hip? Just about as you saw him. He's got to be patient a good
while before he can walk again, and these first few days are hard. He
asked me when you would come again."

"Oh, I'll go to-morrow!" cried Randolph, sitting up very straight on his
cushion. "And I'll take him a book I've got, with splendid pictures."

"Good!" Doctor Churchill