n't sure whether he was or not. How her heart
ached to do something for him!

One of his long, thin hands lay over the coverlet, and Jinnie wanted
to kiss it. Tears were standing thick on her lashes.

The doctor stood beside her, consulting his watch.

"If you wish to speak, Mr. King," he said kindly, "you must do so
quickly, for the young lady can stay but two minutes more. That's
all!"

The doctor turned his back upon them, watch in hand.

"Kiss me, dear!" murmured Theodore.

Oblivious of the doctor's presence, Jinnie stooped and kissed him
twice, taking the thin hand he extended.

"I sent for you because I feared you'd go to work at the wood again."

Jinnie would reassure him on this point even by an untruth, for she
might be driven, for the sake of Peggy and the children, to go back
into that hated occupation.

"I promise I won't," she said.

"Are you still taking lessons?"

Jinnie shook her head.

"I couldn't when you were sick. I just couldn't."

"But you must; you must go to-morrow. I have something here for you,"
he said, reaching under the pillow with his free hand.

Jinnie drew back abashed.

"You're too sick to think of us," she murmured.

Theodore raised her hand to his lips.

"No! No, darling, I think of you always--every day and shall even
when I'm dead. You must take this money. Do you love me, dearest, very
much?"

He smiled again as she stooped impetuously to kiss him, and with her
face very close to his, she whispered,

"Lafe didn't do it, darling!"

"I know it," replied Theodore, closing his eyes.

Then the doctor turned and sent her away.

When she sank back in the automobile, Jinnie opened her hand with the
roll of bills in it, and all the way home, she repeated, "He has given
His angels charge over thee." She was hoping and praying for Theodore
King.

Two days later, coming down the hill, she met Miss Merriweather on
horseback. The young woman stopped her and asked her to accompany her
home. Jennie hesitated. She still had memories of the cat sent to its
death in Molly's fit of anger and the woman's chilling reception of
her at the King dinner. Nevertheless she turned and walked slowly
beside the horse. When they reached the porch of Mr. King's home, a
groom came and led the animal away. Jinnie laid down her fiddle,
taking the chair indicated by Molly. It had been Jordan Morse's idea
that she should endeavor to again talk with the girl, but the woman
scarcely knew ho