somewhat
dubious as to the wisdom of this indulgence, could not bring herself to
refuse her request that McNish should be allowed to see her.

"But you must be tired. Didn't Jack tire you?" inquired Adrien.

A soft and tender light stole into the girl's dark eyes.

"Ah, Jack. He could not tire me," she murmured. "He makes so much of
what I did. How gladly would I do it again. Jack is wonderful to me.
Wonderful to me," she repeated softly. Her lip trembled and she lay back
upon her pillow and from her closed eyes two tears ran down her cheek.

"Now," said Adrien briskly, "you are too tired. We shall wait till
to-morrow."

"No, no, please," cried Annette. "Jack didn't tire me. He comforts me."

"But Malcolm will tire you," said Adrien. "Do you really want to see
him?"

A faint colour came up into the beautiful face of her patient.

"Yes, Adrien, I really want to see him. I am sure he will do me good.
You will let him come, please?" The dark eyes were shining with another
light, more wistful, more tender.

"Is he here, Adrien?"

"Is he here?" echoed Adrien scornfully. "Has he been anywhere else the
last seven days?"

"Poor Malcolm," said the girl, the tenderness in her voice becoming
protective. "I have been very bad to him, and he loves me so. Oh, he is
just mad about me!" A little smile stole round the corners of her mouth.

"Oh, you needn't tell me that, Annette," said Adrien. "It is easy for
you to make men mad about you."

"Not many," said the girl, still softly smiling.

McNish went toward the door of the sick room as if approaching a holy
shrine, walking softly and reverently.

"Go in, lucky man," said Adrien. "Go in, and thank God for your good
fortune."

He paused at the door, turned about and looked at her with grave eyes.
"Miss Templeton," he said in slow, reverent tones, "all my life shall I
thank God for His great mercy tae me."

"Don't keep her waiting, man," said Adrien, waving him in. Then McNish
went in and she closed the door softly upon them.

"There are only a few great moments given to men," she said, "and this
is one of them for those two happy people."

In ten days Annette was pronounced quite fit to return to her family.
But Patricia resolved that they should have a grand fete in the Maitland
home before Annette should leave it. She planned a motor drive in the
cool of the day, and in the evening all their special friends who had
been brought together through the tragic even