e doctor came early in the morning, he put the patient
in Frances' hands.

"What he needs is good nursing. Don't leave him to the men," said the
doctor. "Your father says he's cured himself by getting out on
horseback. If it didn't kill him, I admit it's aiding in his cure for
him to be more active again.

"But I depend upon you, my dear, to keep this patient as quiet as
possible. I hate having my patients get away from me," added the
physician with twinkling eye. "And this lad is mine for some time. He
has sure been badly shaken up."

He was afraid at first that there was concussion of the brain; but after
a few hours the young bank clerk became lucid in his speech and the
fever began to decrease.

The doctor had not left the ranch until the evening before this day when
Frances stole up the stair again to peer into the room to see how her
patient was.

"Oh, I'm awake!" cried Pratt, cheerfully. "You don't expect me to sleep
all the time, do you, Frances?"

"Sleep is good for you," declared the girl of the ranges, with a sober
smile. "The doctor says you are to keep very quiet."

"Goodness! I might as well be buried and so save my board," grumbled
Pratt. "When is he going to let me get up out of this?"

"Not for a long, long time yet," said Frances, seriously.

"What? Why, I could get up now----"

"With those shingles plastered to your shoulder?" asked the girl,
smiling again, but somewhat roguishly.

"Oh--well--have those boards actually got to stay on?"

"Yes, indeed."

"How long?"

"Till the doctor removes them, Pratt. Now, be a good boy."

"I'll never be able to get out of bed," grumbled the patient, "if he
keeps me here much longer, I'll be bedridden."

"Nonsense," said Frances, with a very superior air. "You haven't been
here two days yet."

"And when is the doctor coming again?" went on Pratt.

"He said he'd come within the week," replied the girl, demurely.

"Good-night, nurse!" groaned Pratt. "A whole week? Why, I'll die in that
time--positively."

"You only think so," said Frances, coolly.

"You don't know how hard it is to lie here with nothing to do."

"You don't appreciate your good fortune, I am afraid," returned the
girl, more gravely. "You might have been much more seriously hurt----"

"You don't suppose I care about being hurt, do you?" he cried, with some
excitement. "I'd go through it a dozen times to the same end,
Frances----"

"Now, stop!" she said, commandingly, and r