me?"

"I should like to. Let's go together."

Leigh slid quickly from the chair and ran inside, where Doctor Carey heard
her clear childish voice saying, "He is going to Kansas, too, Miss Jane.
He says he loves you. His name is Horace, and he's mery nice. He's not
mery pretty, though, but you love him, too, don't you, Miss Jane?"

Evidently the child was close to Miss Jane, for the doctor heard something
like a kiss and low words that seemed to send her away on some errand.
Presently he caught sight of a sunny head and two big blue eyes and a
little hand beckoning to him, as Leigh peeped around the corner of the
house.

"Miss Jane says I mustn't talk too much and mustn't call you Horace, but
just Doctor Carey. Won't you come with me to get flowers for supper?"

The two strolled together into the old flower garden where verbenas and
phlox and late asters and early chrysanthemums and a few monthly roses
under Miss Jane's careful covering had weathered the first frosts. Leigh
knew each plant and shrub, and gave out information freely.

"Would you rather stay with Miss Jane?"

Doctor Carey knew he should not ask the question, but it came anyhow.

"Oh, no, I want to go to my Uncle Jim." Leigh settled the matter once for
all.

* * * * *

That night Leigh fell asleep early, for Miss Jane was methodical with
children. Then she and Doctor Carey sat until late by the open wood fire
and talked of many things, but first of Leigh and her future.

"You will miss her, I'm sure," the doctor said.

"More than anyone will know," Miss Jane replied. "But I could not be happy
without fulfilling my promise. I wrote you to come soon because each day
makes the giving up a little harder for me. But I must know the truth
about this Uncle Jim. I cannot send Leigh out of my house to be neglected
and unloved. She demands love above all things."

The pink color deepened in Miss Jane's fair cheek as she recalled what
Leigh had said to Doctor Carey about loving her. The doctor remembered
also, and knew why she blushed. Yet blushes, he thought, were becoming to
her.

"I'll tell you all I know of Mr. Shirley. We have been friends for many
years," he said.

Then as truthfully as possible he told her of the life and mind of the
lonely loving plainsman. When he had finished, Miss Jane sat awhile in
silent thought.

"It is right that you should know something of conditions here, Doctor,"
she sai