nn, whose anxious
eyes did not leave his face, to Pen, with her cheeks showing the scarlet
of excitement. Something in their tense interest in him was suddenly
very comforting to Jim and he smiled at them. And though it was a
little strained it was the old flashing, sweet smile that those who
knew him loved.

"I don't know how I'm to get through the next few weeks," he said,
"unless you two are very kind and polite to me."

Mrs. Flynn suddenly threw her apron over her head. "God knows," she
sobbed, "I've waited for you to smile this weary time! I've washed and
mended all your clothes and cleaned your room and cooked everything I
ever heard of and not a smile could I get. I thought you had something
incurable!"

Jim made a long stride across the room and hugged Mrs. Flynn, boyishly.
"Didn't you tell me you felt like my mother? Don't you know mothers have
to see through their boy's stupidity and selfishness down to the real
trouble that lies underneath? No one will do it but a mother!"

Mrs. Flynn wiped her eyes on her apron. "God knows I'm an old fool," she
said. "Change that dirty khaki suit so's I can wash it."

Jim chuckled and turned to Pen. She was watching the little tableau with
all her hungry heart in her eyes.

"Pen! Oh, my dearest!" breathed Jim. Then he paused with a glance at his
near-mother, who immediately began to rattle the stove lids.

"Get out and take a walk, the two of you. God knows I'm a good Catholic,
but there's some things--get out, the two of you! Let your nerves ease
up a bit. Sure we all pound and twang like a wet tent in the wind."

Out on the trail Jim spoke a little breathlessly: "Pen! If you would
just let me put my head down on your shoulder, if you'd put your dear
cheek on mine and smooth my hair, the heaven of it would carry me
through the next few weeks. Just that much, Pen, is all I'd ask for!"

Tears were in Pen's eyes as she looked up into the fine, pleading face.
"Jim, I can't!"

"You wouldn't be taking it from Sara."

"Sara! Poor Sara! He wants no embraces from anyone! I'm no more married
to Sara than a nurse to her patient. But I mean that as long as things
are as they are, the honest thing, the safe thing, is for me not
to--to--Oh, Jim, it's not square to any of us. We must keep on the
straight, clear basis of friendship!"

But Jim had seen Pen's heart in her eyes and the call of it was almost
more than his lonely heart could bear.

"Great heavens, Pen!" he cried