صفحة 327 من 439

He had known her all her life, had been by the bedside when she

came into the world, and he put his arm round her shoulders and

gave her a little hug as they passed into the room.

"We'll do our level best, little girl."

She lit a lamp, and drew the window curtain, so that none could

see from the outside. While the old doctor arranged his

instruments and bandages on chairs, she waited on him. He noticed

how white she was, for he said, not unkindly:

"I don't want two patients right now, Arlie. If you're going to

keel over in a faint right in the middle of it, I'll have Dick

help."

"No, no, I won't, doc. Truly, I won't," she promised.

"All right, little girl. We'll see how game you are. Dick, hold

the light. Hold it right there. See?"