better than home--when it's like ours. We'll fight our
fight there, Red--and nowhere else."

He put one hand to his arm suddenly with an involuntary movement and a
contraction of the brow. But in the next breath he was smiling again.
"Perhaps we'd better be getting back," he admitted. "My head's beginning
to be a trifle unsteady. But, I'm glad a thousand times we've had this
day."

"Was it wise to take it, dear?"

"I'm sure of it. What difference could it make? Now we've had it--to
remember."

She shivered, there in the warm October sunlight. A chill seemed
suddenly to have come into the air, and to have struck her heart.

No more words passed between them until they were almost home. Then
Ellen said, very quietly: "Red, would you be any safer in the hospital
than at home?"

"Not safer, but where it would be easier for all concerned, in case
things get rather thick."

"Easier for you, too?"

He looked at her. "Do I have to speak the truth?"

"You must. If you would rather be there--"

"I would rather be as near you as I can stay. There's no use denying
that. But Van Horn wants me at the hospital."

"Is he to look after you?"

"Yes. Queer, isn't it? But he wants the job. No," at the unspoken
question in her face, "it wasn't Van. But he came in just as the trouble
began to show and--well, you know we're the best of friends now, and I
think I'd rather have him--and Buller, good old Buller--than anybody
else."

"Oh, but you won't need them both?" she cried, and then bit her lip.

"Of course not. But you know how the profession are--if one of them gets
down they all fall over one another to offer their services."

"They may all offer them, but they will have to come to you. You are
going to stay at home. You shall have the big guest room--made as you
want it. Just tell me what to do--"

"You may as well strip it," he told her quietly. "And--Len, I'd rather
be right there than anywhere else in the world. I think, when it's
ready, I'll just go to bed. I'd bluff a bit longer if I could,
but--perhaps--"

"I'm sure you ought," she said as quietly as he. But she was very glad
when the car turned in at the driveway.

CHAPTER XV

CLEARED DECKS

Two hours later, under her direction and with her efficient help,
Cynthia and Johnny Carruthers in medical parlance had "stripped" the
guest room, putting it into the cleared bare order most useful for the
purpose needed. If Ellen's heart was heavy as she