presently."

Max continued to feel her pulse. He was frowning a good deal. "You will
do as I say," he said deliberately. "You are to go to bed at once, and
you won't come down again for the rest of the day."

There was so much of finality in his speech that Olga became aware of
the futility of argument. She felt moreover totally unfit for it. She
only hazarded one more protest.

"But what about Violet?"

"She can take care of herself," he said. "I will tell her."

There was no help for it. Olga gave in without further protest. But she
did venture to say as he released her hand, "Please don't bother about
bringing me anything! I couldn't possibly take it."

"Leave that to me!" said Max brusquely.

He left her then, to her unutterable relief. There was no doubt about
it; she was feeling very ill, so ill that the business of undressing was
almost more than she could accomplish. But she did manage it at last,
and crept thankfully into bed, laying her throbbing head upon the pillow
with the vague wonder if she would ever have the strength to lift it
again.

From that she drifted into a maze of pain that blurred all thought, and
from which she only roused herself to find Max once more by her side. He
was watching her closely.

"Is your head very bad?" he asked.

"Yes," she whispered.

"I've got some stuff here that will soothe it," he said.

"Just drink it down, and then see if you can get a sleep."

His tone was so gentle that had her pain been less severe Olga might
have found room for amazement. As it was, she began very weakly to cry.

"Now don't be silly!" said Max. "You needn't move. I'll do it all."

He slipped his arm under the pillow, and lifted her. She commanded
herself and drank from the medicine-glass he held to her lips.

"What queer stuff!" she said. "Is it--is it 'the pain-killer'?"

"What do you know about 'the pain-killer'?" he said.

She shrank a little at the question, and he did not pursue it. He laid
her down again, settled the pillows, and left her.

Olga lay very still. She felt as if a strange glow were dawning in her
brain, a kind of mental radiance, inexpressibly wonderful, absorbing her
pain as mist is absorbed by the sun. Gradually it grew and spread till
the pain was all gone, swamped, forgotten, in this curious flood of
warmth and ecstasy. It was the most marvellous sensation she had ever
experienced. Her whole being thrilled responsive to the glow. It was as
though a doo