retty homesick times, now and then, though he
doesn't show it much."

It was the first time the doctor's housekeeper had been so
communicative, and her three hearers listened with deep interest,
although they asked few questions, made only one or two kindly comments,
and did not express half the sympathy they felt. Only Captain Rayburn,
thoughtfully staring out of the window, gave voice to a sentiment for
which both his nieces, although they said nothing in reply, inwardly
thanked him.

"Doctor Churchill is a rare sort of fellow," he said. "Doctor Forester
considers him most promising, I know. But better than that, he is one
whose personality alone will always be the strongest part of his
influence over his patients, winning them from despair to courage--how,
they can't tell. And the man who can add to the sum total of the courage
of the human race has done for it what it very much needs."

A few minutes after this little speech the subject of it quite
unexpectedly came dashing in, bringing with him a great breath of
February air. He stopped in astonishment upon the threshold.

"If this isn't the unkindest trick I ever heard of!" he cried, his
brilliant eyes flashing from one to another. "I suppose that
arch-traitor of a Fieldsy planned to have you all safely away before I
came home. I'm thankful I got here two hours before she expected me. See
here, you've got to make this up to me somehow."

"Sit down!" invited Captain Rayburn. "You may hem steadily for two hours
on flannel petticoats. If that won't make it up to you I don't know what
will."

"No, it won't," retorted the doctor. "Sewing's all right in its way, but
I've just put up my needle-case, thank you, and no more stitching for me
to-day. I want--a lark! I want to go skating. Who'll go with me?"

"By the process of elimination I should say you would soon get at the
answer to that," remarked the captain. "There seems to be just one
candidate for active service in this company--unless Mrs. Fields--I've
no doubt now that Mrs. Fields----"

"Will you go?" Doctor Churchill turned to Mrs. Fields. She glanced up
into his laughing eyes.

"Run along and don't bother me," she said to him. "Take that child
there. She's about got her stent done, I guess."

Doctor Churchill looked at the curly black head bent closely over the
last of the little sleeves.

"You don't deceive me, Miss Charlotte," said he. "You're not as wedded
to that task as you look. Please come w