live?"

Jimmy eyed him belligerently. "Why in the name of sinse did you cut out
whin I was off me pins?" he growled. "Of course I don't blame you for
cutting that kind of a party, me for the woods, all right, but what I
can't see is why you couldn't have gone for the doctor and waited until
I'd slept it off before you wint."

"I dinna know she was sick," answered Dannie. "I deserve anything ony
ane can say to me, and it's all my fault if she dees, but this ane
thing ye got to say ye know richt noo, Jimmy. Ye got to say ye know
that I dinna understand Mary was sick when I went."

"Sure! I've said that all the time," agreed Jimmy. "But what I don't
understand is, WHY you went! I guess she thinks it was her fault. I
came out here to try to study it out. The nurse-woman, domn pretty
girl, says if you don't get back before midnight, it's all up. You're
just on time, Dannie. The talk in the house is that she'll wink out if
you don't prove to her that she didn't drive you away. She is about
crazy over it. What did she do to you?"

"Nothing!" exclaimed Dannie. "She was so deathly sick she dinna what
she was doing. I can see it noo, but I dinna understand then."

"That's all right," said Jimmy. "She didn't! She kapes moaning over and
over 'What did I do?' You hustle in and fix it up with her. I'm getting
tired of all this racket."

All Dannie heard was that he was to go to Mary. He went up the lane,
across the garden, and stepped in at the back door. Beside the table
stood a comely young woman, dressed in blue and white stripes. She was
doing something with eggs and milk. She glanced at Dannie, and finished
filling a glass. As she held it to the light, "Is your name Macnoun?"
she inquired.

"Yes," said Dannie.

"Dannie Macnoun?" she asked.

"Yes," said Dannie.

"Then you are the medicine needed here just now," she said, as if that
were the most natural statement in the world. "Mrs. Malone seems to
have an idea that she offended you, and drove you from home, just prior
to her illness, and as she has been very sick, she is in no condition
to bear other trouble. You understand?"

"Do ye understand that I couldna have gone if I had known she was ill?"
asked Dannie in turn.

"From what she has said in delirium I have been sure of that," replied
the nurse. "It seems you have been the stay of the family for years. I
have a very high opinion of you, Mr. Macnoun. Wait until I speak to
her."

The nurse vanished, presentl