ed, as he took his position upon
the edge of a chair close to the bed. He was feeling more at home now
in the presence of this beautiful girl, since she was not a princess.

"He isn't your grandfather!"

"No. I haven't any real grandfather, and I never saw my father or
mother."

"You didn't! Oh, you poor boy."

"No. I'm only a waif, that's what they call me. I was left at the
door of the rectory one night a long time ago when I was a little baby,
and Mr. and Mrs. Royal have taken care of me ever since."

"How lovely!" and Whyn clasped her thin white hands together.

"Lovely! What do you mean?"

"Oh, it's so romantic."

"What's that?"

"Just like you read about in stories. Maybe your father and mother are
a real prince and princess, or some other great persons, and you were
stolen away from them when you were a baby by cruel people. What a
story that will make. I shall write about it at once."

"A story!" and Rod's eyes opened wide in surprise. "What are you going
to write?"

"You see, I'm an authoress, or rather, I'm going to be one some day. I
lie in bed and think out such lovely stories. But this is something
real, not a bit like the others. I am going to make so much money,
that I shall be able to help mamma, and she won't have to worry as she
does."

"What makes her worry?" Rod queried.

"She worries about me. I can't walk, and have to lie in bed all the
time. It costs so much for doctors' bills, and though mamma never says
a word to me, I can tell what's troubling her. Now, I have a secret,
and I am going to tell it to you, if you promise that you won't say a
word to any one about it."

"What is it?"

"You won't tell?"

"Don't know until I hear what it is."

"Oh, well, I'll have to keep it to myself, then," and the girl gave a
sigh of disappointment. "I was hoping that you would promise, for it
would be so nice to relieve my mind by telling some one."

"Maybe I'll promise afterwards," Rod replied.

"That might do," Whyn mused, as she lay very still and looked far off
through the window. "Yes, I guess that will do. You see, I once heard
the doctor in the city say that I must go to a specialist, and maybe he
could cure me."

"What's a specialist?" Rod questioned. "I never heard of it before."

"It's a doctor in some big city like New York, who knows so much. He
might be able to make me better, if I could only go to see him."

"Why don't you go, then?"

"I can't," a