it wasn't an accidental slip of the--don't look like that, Anne! Gee,
you looked awfully scary just then." He wiped his brow. "I--I thought you
were about to faint. I say, we'll drop the matter this instant if--"

"I'm not going to faint," she exclaimed. "You need not be afraid. What is
it that this young doctor says? And how do you happen to have heard--"

"It's what he said to Simmy," interrupted George, quickly. "Simmy let it
slip last night. I was in his apartment. Then I made him tell me the whole
thing. He says it is certain that if this young fellow saw anything wrong,
the others also did. And you know there were three pretty big surgeons
there looking on. Bates and those other fellows, you remember. It--it looks
bad, Anne. That's why I tell you that you must not see Brady again."

"And what has all this to do with my not seeing Braden again?" she
demanded steadily.

He stared. "Why,--why, you just mustn't, that's all. Can't you understand?"

"You mean that I ought not to be put in the position of sharing the blame
with him. Is that it?"

"Well, if there should be a--er--criminal investigation, you'd be a blamed
sight better off if you kept out of it, my girl. And what's more to the
point, you can't afford to have people say that you are determined to do
the thing they believe you set out to do in the beginning,--and that is to
marry Braden as soon as--"

"Stop right there, George!" she cried hotly. "Other people may say what
they please, but the same privilege is not extended to you. Don't forget
that you are my brother."

"I'm sorry, Anne. I didn't mean it in that way. Of course, I know that
it's all over between you and Brady. Just the same, I mean what I say when
I advise you to see nothing of him. I've given you the hint, that's all."

"And I am sorry I spoke as I did just now," she said listlessly. "Thanks,
George. You are looking out for me, aren't you? I didn't expect it.
Somehow, I've always felt that nobody cared whether I--"

"I'll look out for you as long as I'm able to stand," said he, setting his
jaw. "I wish you could love me, Anne. I think we'd be pretty good pals,
after all, if we got to thinking more about each other and less about
ourselves. Of course, I'm a down-and-outer and don't deserve much in the
way of--"

"You don't deserve sympathy," she interrupted, laying a firm hand upon
his, "and I know you are not asking for it. Encouragement is what you
need." Her voice shook slightly