er lawful
lord and master--something she had not done since her arrival here.
Blind, she turned unconsciously to the mirror which she knew Annie had
hung on the wall! She smoothed back her hair, felt for the corners of
her collar to make it neat. She really did not know that she did these
things.

She was young. Life was still buoyant in her bosom, after all, and far
more now than at any time in her life. New graciousness of face and
figure began to come to her. Well-being appeared in her eye and her
cheek. The clean air of this new world had done its work, the actinic
sun had painted her with the colors of the luckier woman, who expects
to live and to be loved. It was a lovely face she might have seen in
yonder mirror--a face flushed as she heard this step at the door.

"Greetings and salutations!" said he as he entered. "Of course you
know who I am."

"I'm trained in hide-and-seek," said she. "Sit down, won't you?"

He tossed his hat on the table. "Alone?" he asked.

"I always am. Annie is busy almost all day, over at the soldier house,
you know."

"I suppose he is up in the hills to-day?"

She knew whom he meant. "Yes. Annie tells me he goes up every other
day to look around. I should think he would be afraid."

"Annie told you?--doesn't he tell you what he does?"

"No. Sometimes in the evening he comes in for a moment."

"Well, of course," he went on, "in my capacity as Pooh Bah, Major and
doctor too, I've got to be part medico to take care of the poor devils
who blow off their hands or drop things on their feet, or eat too much
cheap candy at the store. How is Sim's knee by this time?"

"He limps a little--I can hear it when he walks on the boards. Annie
says that Wid Gardner says that Sim says that his leg's all right."
She smiled, and he laughed with her.

"That's fine. And how about Madam herself, Mrs. Gage?"

She shivered. "I wish you wouldn't call me that. It--well, don't,
please. Let's not ever joke."

"What shall I call you?"

"I don't know. What's _wrong_ here, Doctor?" She faced him now.

He evaded. "I was wondering about your health."

"Oh, I'm very well. Sometimes my eyes hurt me a little, as though I
felt more of the light. Subjective, I suppose."

She could not feel him look at her. At length, he spoke, quietly.
"I've some news for you, or possible news. It has very much to do with
your happiness. Tell me, if it were in my power to give you back your