comfortable there, he left him
mysteriously for a while. It was growing dark by now, and the lights
were on. They were rose-shaded, Allan noticed, as the others had been at
home. Allan watched the details of his room with that vivid interest in
little changes which only invalids can know. There was an old-fashioned
landscape story paper on the walls, with very little repeat. Over it,
but not where they interfered with tracing out the adventures of the
paper people, were a good many pictures, quite incongruous, for they
were of the Remington type men like, but pleasant to see nevertheless.
The furniture was chintz-covered and gay. There was not one thing in
the room to remind a man that he was an invalid. It occurred to Allan
that Phyllis must have put a good deal of deliberate work on the place.
He lay contentedly, watching the grate fire, and trying to trace out the
story of the paper, for at least a half-hour. He found himself, at
length, much to his own surprise, thinking with a certain longing of his
dinner-tray. He was thinking of it more and more interestedly by the
time Wallis--trayless--came back.

"Mr. and Mrs. De Guenther and the young madam are waiting for you in the
living-room," he announced. "They would be glad if you would have supper
with them."

"Very well," said Allan amiably, still much to his own surprise. The
truth was, he was still enough awake and interested to want to go on
having things happen.

The room Wallis wheeled him back into was a long, low one, wainscoted
and bare-floored. It was furnished with the best imitation Chippendale
to be obtained in a hurry, but over and above there were cushioned
chairs and couches enough for solid comfort. There were more cheerful
pictures, the Maxfield Parrishes Phyllis had wanted, over the
green-papered walls. There was a fire here also. The room had no more
period than a girl's sentence, but there was a bright air of welcomeness
and informality that was winning. An old-fashioned half-table against
the wall was covered with a great many picknicky things to eat. Another
table had more things, mostly to eat with, on it. And there were the De
Guenthers and Phyllis. On the whole it felt very like a welcome-home.

Phyllis, in a satiny rose-colored gown he had never seen before, came
over to his couch to meet him. She looked very apprehensive and young
and wistful for the role of Bold Bad Hypnotist. She bent towards him
with her hand out, seemed about to spe