ng
platform, his eyes searching eagerly for those whom he sought. They fell
first upon the nurse, just descending the steps, then turned and stayed
upon the graceful, slender figure which followed her. Was it really
Rose? Could that young woman, clad in a simple black traveling dress
and long coat which, even to his masculine perception, appeared modishly
stylish and amazingly becoming, be the mountain child whom his memory
clothed in homemade calico? Her face was unwontedly pale beneath the
small, close-fitting black hat, yet it was so utterly sweet that Donald
felt his pulses start again with the old strange thrill.

If his mind harbored any idea that she might run into his embrace, it
was doomed to disappointment, for, with the habiliments of city
civilization, Smiles had acquired its reserve. Her greeting was a very
demure and somewhat weary one,--it both pleased and irritated him,
somehow. Indeed, she spoke scarcely a word, and it was not until they
had finished dinner in the quiet, homelike hotel, whither Donald had
taken them, that her new shyness began to yield to his presence. Then
the story of the marvels which her eyes had beheld came pouring forth
with all the old-time childlike eagerness.

When they were nearly ready to leave, Miss Merriman said, with a half
real, half assumed show of firmness, "Now, Doctor MacDonald, since I am
off duty I can speak my mind plainly, and I mean to. I know that you are
Smiles' guardian; but you can't have her. She's mine, and she's going to
live with my family until she enters the hospital. So there."

Donald breathed a mental sigh of relief, and responded, laughingly, "And
I, apparently, haven't anything to say about it! Oh, very well. I've
lived long enough to learn that there is no use arguing with a woman, so
I yield gracefully, although I'm afraid that it is establishing a bad
precedent. If I begin to take orders from you like this, it is going to
be hard to put you back in your place and to act the role of stern
superior myself. I warn you, though, that I mean to get even with you on
our next case, so prepare yourself to be bullied frightfully.

"You see what a horrible disposition I really have, little sister," he
added, smiling at Rose, who informed him that she was not in the least
frightened, and to prove it, slipped her hand into his for a moment with
the childlike confidence that he loved.

So it was arranged; a taxicab bore them to the homey little apartment