ircase, and Mrs. Hale, with her finger on her
lip, swept Kate unceremoniously into the sitting-room, closed the door,
and leaned back against it, with a faint smile. She had a crumpled paper
in her hand.

"Don't be alarmed, but read that first," she said, handing her sister
the paper. "It was brought just now."

Kate instantly recognized her brother's distinct hand. She read
hurriedly, "The coach was robbed last night; nobody hurt. I've lost
nothing but a day's time, as this business will keep me here until
to-morrow, when Manuel can join me with a fresh horse. No cause for
alarm. As the bearer goes out of his way to bring you this, see that he
wants for nothing."

"Well," said Kate expectantly.

"Well, the 'bearer' was fired upon by the robbers, who were lurking on
the Ridge. He was wounded in the leg. Luckily he was picked up by his
friend, who was coming to meet him, and brought here as the nearest
place. He's up-stairs in the spare bed in the spare room, with his
friend, who won't leave his side. He won't even have mother in the room.
They've stopped the bleeding with John's ambulance things, and now,
Kate, here's a chance for you to show the value of your education in
the ambulance class. The ball has got to be extracted. Here's your
opportunity."

Kate looked at her sister curiously. There was a faint pink flush on her
pale cheeks, and her eyes were gently sparkling. She had never seen her
look so pretty before.

"Why not have sent Manuel for a doctor at once?" asked Kate.

"The nearest doctor is fifteen miles away, and Manuel is nowhere to be
found. Perhaps he's gone to look after the stock. There's some talk of
snow; imagine the absurdity of it!"

"But who are they?"

"They speak of themselves as 'friends,' as if it were a profession. The
wounded one was a passenger, I suppose."

"But what are they like?" continued Kate. "I suppose they're like them
all."

Mrs. Hale shrugged her shoulders.

"The wounded one, when he's not fainting away, is laughing. The other is
a creature with a moustache, and gloomy beyond expression."

"What are you going to do with them?" said Kate.

"What should I do? Even without John's letter I could not refuse the
shelter of my house to a wounded and helpless man. I shall keep him,
of course, until John comes. Why, Kate, I really believe you are so
prejudiced against these people you'd like to turn them out. But I
forget! It's because you LIKE them so well. Well, you n