age--yet these
unconsciously searching questions of Smiles' are ... Hang it all, I wish
I had had sense enough not to open the subject."

Aloud he said non-committally, "Yes, of course it is wonderful and I
know that you would do it if you were able."

"I _shall_ do it," was the confident answer. "I can't give money but I
can give myself." There was a moment of silence; then Rose added softly,
"I guess she loves you a lot, too, you are so good to ... to people, and
do such wonderful things. When do you calculate to get married to her,
Doctor Mac?"

"Married?" he repeated in a startled voice, "Oh, some day, of course;
but you know how terribly busy I am, and ..." He stopped, visualizing
himself at that moment as he lolled indolently in the doorway of that
mountain cabin, and wondering if the same thought were in her mind as
was in his. At the same time came a welcome interruption in the
appearance of a small child, brown as the proverbial berry, and bearing
in her arms a large and rather dilapidated appearing doll. For an
instant Donald failed to recognize her, and said, "Hello, here comes one
of your little friends to see you, Smiles. Why, I do believe ... yes,
it's Lou. Come along. You're not afraid of the doctor man who sent you
that doll."

Lou advanced, one finger in her mouth, the corners of which were lifting
in a shy smile. Sensing the approach of another old friend, Mike bounded
out of the doorway where he had lain panting in the shadow, and so
energetic was his greeting that the child was very nearly upset by it,
although as soon as she could regain her equilibrium she flung her
little arms around the roughly coated neck, without a trace of fear.

"Mike's got er broken leg," she announced. The words gave Donald a start
until he saw that she was holding out to him her doll, one of whose
limbs flapped about in piteous substantiation. "Kin yo' make hit well
ergin?"

Examining the injured member, whence the sawdust blood had issued
through a deep incision in the cloth, Donald replied seriously, "It will
require a rather serious operation, but I guess that I can mend it with
the assistance of Nurse Smiles. We will have to sew up the wound and put
the leg in splints."

"Hit haint ergoin' ter hurt her much, air hit?" begged Lou, with all
the solicitude of a young mother.

"No. We'll give her an anesthetic--something to put her sound
asleep--and I guess that she won't know anything about it." Rose joined
the