't I?"

"I'm too much use to you."

"So far you've been just the other thing."

"Ain't I tellin' you I'm through with that game? On the level! Doc,
these poor boobs down here _know_ me. They'll do as I tell 'em. Gimme a
chance."

So O'Farrell, making his chance, did his work faithfully and well
through the dismal weeks to follow. It takes all kinds of soldiers to
fight an epidemic.

Those two sturdy volunteers, Miss Elliot and Miss Pierce, were driving
slowly along the fringe of the Rookeries,--yes, slowly, notwithstanding
that Kathleen Pierce was acting as her own chauffeur,--having just
delivered a consignment of emergency nurses from a neighboring city to
Dr. Merritt, when the car slowed down.

"Did you see that?" inquired Miss Pierce, indicating, with a jerk of her
head, the general topography off to starboard.

"See what?" inquired her companion. "I didn't notice anything except a
hokey-pokey seller, adding his mite to the infant mortality of the
district."

"Esme, you talk like nothing human lately!" accused her friend. "You're
a--a--regular health leaflet! I meant that man going into the corner
tenement. I believe it was Hal Surtaine."

"Was it?"

"And you needn't say, 'Was it?' in that lofty, superior tone, like an
angel with a new halo, either," pursued her aggrieved friend. "You know
it was. What do you suppose he's doing down here?"

"The epidemic is the 'Clarion's' special news. He spends quite a little
time in this district, I believe."

"Oh, you believe! Then you've seen him lately?"

"Yes."

Miss Pierce stared rigidly in front of her and made a detour of
magnificent distance to avoid a push-cart which wasn't in her way
anyhow. "Esme," she said.

"Yes?"

"Did you give me away to him?"

"No. He didn't give me an opportunity."

"Oh!" There was more silence. Then, "Esme, I was pretty rotten about
that, wasn't I?"

"Why, Kathie, I think you ought to have written to him."

"I meant to write and own up, no matter if I did tell you I wouldn't.
But I kept putting it off. Esme, did you notice how thin and worn he
looks?"

The other winced. "He's had a great deal to worry him."

"Well, he hasn't got our lawsuit to worry him any more. That's off."

"Off?" A light flashed into Esme's face. "Your father has dropped it?"

"Yes. He had to. I told him the accident was my fault, and if I was put
on the stand I'd say so. I'm not so popular with Pop as I might be, just
now. But, Esme, I _did