was assisted
into the house and up to one of the spare bedrooms--Max on one side and
Bartram on the other.

By this time Mr. Wedmore had, of course, become aware of what was going
on; but it was now too late to interfere, even if he had wished to do
so. When Dudley had been taken upstairs, Doreen met her brother as he
came down.

"Who is the girl with the sweet face inside the carriage?"

Max stammered a little, and then said, by a happy inspiration:

"Oh, that's the nurse. You see--he was so ill--"

Doreen looked at him keenly, but did not wait for anymore explanations.

"Why doesn't she come in, then? Of course she must come in."

And she ran out to the door of the carriage, with Max not far behind.

"Aren't you coming in? They've taken your patient upstairs," she said
gently, as poor Carrie, who looked more dead than alive, sat up in the
carriage and tried to put her hat and her cape straight.

"Oh, I shan't be wanted now, shall I?" asked Carrie, with a timid voice
and manner which contrasted strongly with her calm, easy assurance while
she was at work.

Max threw a glance of gratitude at his sister, as he quickly opened the
door of the carriage and more than half dragged Carrie out.

As the girl stepped, blinking, into the broad sunlight, Doreen stared at
her intently, and then glanced inquiringly at her brother, who, however,
did not see her questioning look. He led Carrie into the house and
straight up the stairs toward the room where they had put Dudley.

"Don't make me stay," pleaded she, in a low voice. "They will know I'm
not a regular nurse, and--and I shall be uncomfortable, miserable. You
can do without me now."

She was trying to shrink away. Max stopped in the middle of the stairs,
and answered her gravely, earnestly:

"I only ask you to stay until we can get a regular nurse down. He is too
ill to do without a trained attendant; you know that. Will you promise
to wait while we send for one?"

Carrie could scarcely refuse.

"Yes, I will stay till then, if I am really wanted," assented she.

"Ask my sister. Here she comes," said Max.

Doreen was on the stairs behind them.

"Is it really necessary--do you want me to stay while a nurse is sent
for?" asked Carrie, diffidently.

Doreen looked up straight in her face.

"What more natural than that you should stay with him?" returned she,
promptly; "since you are his sister."

Max and Carrie both started. The likeness between Dudley and