mself up to part from Mary. Then there was a young doctor whose face I
dimly recognized, but it tired my poor head too much to try to think who
he was. He and Mary had many a talk at my bedside about their own
affairs. One evening I heard the unmistakable sound of a banjo, and
managed to twist myself round far enough to see that this same doctor
was playing an accompaniment to Mary's very fair imitation of a skirt
dance out in the passage.

The sight revived me so much that I laughed aloud, and Mary came hastily
forward, blushing, with finger on her lip. The pink and white uniform
did indeed become her wonderfully well, and I was not surprised to
notice hearty admiration in the sleepy blue eyes of the young house
surgeon. Where had I seen that "Burne Jones' head" before?

"You don't seem to remember me, Mr. Gemmell," said the owner of it,
holding out his hand. "My name's Flaker. I was at Interlaken summer
before last."

"You're a full-fledged M. D. now?"

"Oh, yes, but I'm taking a year's practice in here, before I set up for
myself."

Shades of the hotel matrons! They would probably say, if they heard
this, that Mary had been sent here on purpose to catch him.

Poor Mary! She had her own row to hoe. She came to me in tears one
evening because Nurse Dean had been after her that whole day about one
thing or another.

"I am never particular 'nough to please her. If it wasn't for Dr. Flaker
I wouldn't stay here another day."

"You like him pretty well, eh?"

"Well enough, an' he's all broke up on me; says he was at Interlaken
too, on'y he couldn't say anythin', 'cause he wasn't of age. His folks
are awful high-toned."

"They'll have their discipline," thought I.

"By the way, Mary, how long is it since I was brought here?"

"Two weeks to-day."

I sprang almost out of bed in my surprise. "Why didn't you tell me? Has
no word been sent to Lake City?"

"None since that first telegram. I don't write very often now to your
wife, but when I did, I never said nothin' 'tall about your bein' here,
'cause you told me not to."

"And haven't you had an answer?"

"There's a letter lyin' there from Mis' Gemmell to you. I don't know how
she could have found out your address. Nurse Dean said I wasn't to give
it to you if you was a bit feverish."

"Fetch it this minute, Mary, or I'll get up and walk the floor," and the
girl brought me this remarkable document. It had neither beginning nor
end, but rushed to the point