said it. Really,
she's the best help a woman ever had. She'll come back the first of next
week. She said she'd come back any day I'd send for her. She'd do anything
for me."

"I guess you're right, little woman," Doctor Morgan laughed. "I wish all
the same that you had some one with you so that you could stay right with
that boy."

All through the forenoon Elizabeth kept out of the sickroom except when
the medicine was due, and then got away as fast as she could, though it
was not easy to do so, for Doctor Morgan had urged her to entertain the
invalid and keep him cheered up, letting her see that he was more than
usually worried. She meant to live up to her resolutions, but in the
afternoon Hugh was so quiet that it seemed ominous and began to worry
her.

"Oh, Hugh! how can I do right if you take it this way?" she cried in
despair, and would have stroked his hair if he had not shrunk from her
hand.

"Don't, Elizabeth. You have asked for help. I have to give it in my own
way. I have done harm enough to your life. Make it as easy for me as you
can, for I'm only a man and--well, I've promised to help you--_at any
cost_. You've nothing to worry about. I'm no worse than I've been," he
ended in a whisper, and closed his eyes, as was his way when he did not
want to talk.

The girl tiptoed out, and left him to his thoughts. Her own were anything
but satisfactory. He was more wan and tragic than ever before, and Doctor
Morgan had especially cautioned her. She worked in the kitchen most of the
evening, keeping out of his presence, and so the long, hard,
unsatisfactory day passed, was recorded in the annals of time, and forever
gone from the opportunity to alter or change its record.

Luther Hansen came in after dark. Elizabeth answered his knock.

"Alone?" he asked in astonishment when he entered the sitting room.

"Yes. Mr. Chamberlain wanted John to bring the men over and load hogs for
him. It's been too hot to take them to town in the daytime. Hugh's asleep,
I think," she said in a low tone. "I didn't take a light in, because he
likes to be in the dark, but I spoke to him two or three times and he
didn't answer. Are you in a hurry? I hate to waken him."

Doctor Morgan came as they talked. He stopped to look Elizabeth over
before going to the sickroom, and then took the lamp she handed him and,
followed by Luther, left Elizabeth standing in the dining room. She heard
the doctor's sharp order, "Take this light, Hanse