ybe," and with a sudden pull at his forelock Hennessy
backed away down the path.

Peter Brooks watched him depart with an admiration equal to that with
which Hennessy had welcomed him. "That man has a wonderful insight into
human nature. Now I was just wishing I could have you all alone for
about--"

Sheila interrupted him. "I hope you weren't counting on too many minutes.
I can see Miss Maxwell coming down the San steps, and I have a substantial
feeling that she's looking for me to put me on another case."

"Couldn't we escape? Couldn't we skip round by the farm to the garage and
get my car? You look fagged out. A couple of hours' ride would do wonders
for you, and--Good Lord! The San can run that long without your services.
What do you say? Shall we beat it?"

With a telltale, pent-up eagerness he noticed the girl's indecision and
flung himself with all his persuasive powers to turn the balance in his
favor. "Do come. You can work better and harder for a little time off now
and then. All the other nurses take it. Why under the heavens can't a man
ever persuade you to have a little pleasure?" Something in Sheila's face
stopped him and prompted the one argument that could have persuaded her.
"If you'll only come, Leerie, I'll promise to keep dumb--absolutely dumb.
I'll promise not to spoil the ride for you."

Sheila flung him a radiant smile; it almost unbalanced him and murdered
his resolve. "Then I'll come. You're the first man I ever knew who could
keep his word--that way. Hurry! we'll have to run for it." And taking the
lead, she ducked through the little door of the rest-house and ran,
straight as the crow flies, to the hiding shelter of the farm.

But her premonition was correct. When she returned two hours later in the
cool of a summer's twilight, with eyes that sparkled like iridescent pools
and lips that smiled generously her gratitude to the man who could keep
his word, she found the superintendent of nurses watching from the San
steps for their car.

"All right, Miss Maxwell," she nodded in response to the question that was
plainly stamped on the superintendent's face. "We've had supper--don't
even have to change my uniform." Then to Peter, "Thank you."

The words were meager enough, but Peter Brooks had already received his
compensation in the girl's glowing face. "It's 'off again, on again, gone
again,' in your profession, too. Well, here's looking forward to the next
escape." His laugh rang with he