uth."

She had another struggle then, and the tears started in spite of all
that she could do. But she conquered them.

"Much blood?"

"No. Little, only at first."

"Thank you, Pete." Then, turning to Hillyer: "I want you, Robert,
please, to drive home, and tell Mrs. Huntington to make up a bundle of
the things I shall need. Wait! A pencil and a bit of paper, please."

For a moment he did not move to comply.

"What are you going to do, Marion?" he asked, his voice shaking
slightly with the effort of speaking calmly.

"I'm going to nurse him," she replied, meeting his look without
flinching.

"But, Marion! I don't--"

"Pencil and paper, Robert!" she said firmly.

He tore a leaf from a notebook, and gave it to her with his pencil.

"Thank you," she said; and seated herself at the table to write.

But there was the dilapidated hat again--so stained and soiled, a
crumpled, tragic, intimate thing--arresting her. How it had filled her
dreams! How she had laughed at it, fondly, tenderly, as a mother
smiles at the battered school hat of her boy! Once, she had fancied it
hanging on the pink wall in her room, a trophy, with a ribbon tied
around its sweated band. And now she wanted to grab it up, and hug it
to her breast. But she only lifted it gently, and placed it a little
farther away, on the other side of the table. Then she made her
notes.

"There, Robert!" she said, rising, and handing the list to him.
"Claire will know where to find them."

He took the paper mechanically, his eyes fixed on Marion.

"Will you come down, to the car for a moment?" he asked.

She saw the look, and softened under it. But she could not answer his
questions then.

"No," she said. "Later, if you wish it."

For a moment he hesitated. But he could say no more in the presence of
Smythe and Pete, though they were talking together at the other side
of the room. So he moved slowly away, but was suddenly stopped by a
cry from Marion.

"Oh! Oh!" she exclaimed. "Why didn't somebody--why didn't I think of
it before? The car? Run, Robert! Drive down the road toward the lake.
You'll overtake the sorrels--or meet them. Bring the doctor in the
car. Fast, please!"

Hillyer, without another word, ran and leaped into the automobile, and
was soon bringing the echoes out of the hills again. He sank low in
the seat, and fixed his eyes on the road that stretched out blinding
white in the sunlight.

CHAPTER XIV

COALS OF FIRE

Se