Mrs. Red Pepper

his will, but not, as he was forced to admit, against his judgment, when he allowed it consideration.

a fashion indicative of an intention to settle down to it and have it out. "Just let me state the case to you, and try to look at it from the outside.

unds of June were pouring in at the three windows of the room; a tangle of rose vines looked in at him from this nearest one. Just before Amy Mathewson had left him, a few minutes a

ly; his sympathy with Leaver's state of mind, as he was confident he understood it, was intense. "If it were I!" he had said to hims

ages. It's pretty difficult to eliminate the atmosphere of illness. And, for a man whose training and instincts lead him to see behind every face

w, and looked at his host. "Just to know that I have such friends does me good. And I know that you

subject f

rganic lesion. Probably I shall build up and get the better of my depression of mind-to a certain extent. But, there's one thing I'm facing I haven't owned to you. You may as

hed operative surgery? He surely could. It had been his almost certain knowledge that this was his friend's real trouble which had made him say to himself with a groan, "If it were

raver than patients usually saw it; there was in it, however, a look of determination which g

to make a clean breast of every thought and every experience which has led you to this point? I know I'm rather forcing myself upon y

ain. "I know no better man,"

s case, and am ready to take advantage of having it in my house, for the p

e warm June light, and put one

hat you ask, Red,

easier to face the rack and thumbscrew, eh? Well, let's get it over. Poss

recisely the story he had guessed,-an old story, repeated by many such sufferers from overwork and heavy responsibility, but new to each in its entirety of torture, even to this man,

ughly worn out by severe and long continued strain, had attempted to operate. The case was an important one, the issue doubtful. Friends of the patient had insisted that no one else should take the eminent young surgeon's place, and, although he had had more than one inner warning, in re

altered. "Steady, old fellow," said Burns's quiet voice.

ttle Leave

g surgeons. "You know-" said Leaver. Burns nodded, emphatically. "You bet I know," said

won the day for him. Fear, at such crises, had never possessed him, however much, afterward, reviewing the experience, he had wondered that it had not. But this time, fear-fear-a throttling, life-destroying fear had sprung upon him and gripped him by the throat.

is assistants how to hold the operation in suspension until the astonished, unwilling colleague could make ready to step into the breach, cursing under his breath that such an undesired honour should have be

ent had lived. If he had died the thing must have come out. But he had lived. The situation could not have been as desperate a one as it had seemed. The othe

ed this point Leaver's power to endure the thought of it all failed hi

his eyes, his lips drawn tight together.

s of pulse, his whole strong, cool personality, unaffected by issues such as always keyed Burns himself up to a tremendous tension, making him pale with the strain. "Leaver's made of steel wi

evenly beating heart and a return of blood to the parts wh

luffs or jollyings with you, because I know they wouldn't work, but I do say this, honestly: I'm not discouraged. And I'm interested-interested to the bottom of my heart. I'm going to put the best there is in me into this problem. I

reep out from under the closed lids of the eyes under which the black shadows lay so deeply. The well man took himself away from the sick one as

afterward, in the hall, on her way

can make one of him, if you try, for you have in you qualities which will appeal to him-if you will let him see them. You have hardly let even me see them,"-he smiled as he said it,-"but my eyes have been opened at last. I'm inclined to believe that you can do more for our

he suggestion. "Dr. Burns! Do

tly legitimate part for a nurse to play when that happens to be the medicine needed? You have those powers,-how better could you use them? Suppose you are able, through yo

our guest-is so far beyond me in mind and-tastes-in every way, that I could

ll at hair-dressing showing like a fine cameo against the dark background of the wall, he was thinking that un

dozen subjects Leaver may bring up-or, if you can't discuss them all, you can do what is better-let him instruct you. Don't tell me you can't handle those cards every fascinating woman understands so well. If there's anything a man likes to do it's to teach an interested woman the things she cleverly professes she

is able to leave his room? Is he going to stay with you after that? He t

nd stay with us, as a member of the family. We'll have someone else attend to the office. You can go with me, as us

? Doesn't he know that

t-unless you have tak

that I am your assistant at operati

is clear enough. And it's the only way I know of to insure his having what he needs-the close com

it would. "Dr. Burns! You know I'm not even

and I know it is not. It's time you waked up, girl, to your own attractions. You ought to have faith in them w

ed I do. And of cour

to you. Consult-not your h

r evident confusion of mind. But

drug of a higher potency. But-he can't have that-

n his way, st

tell. But he made her acquainted with the fact that Leaver had had a severe nervous shock and that the t

as he can be content," Burns explained

, Red. You

th us too, as a member of the family. I asked her cooperation as a woman, as well as a nurse, and to have that it seemed

from a visit to a nearby patient, and, finding her upon the porch, had thrown himself upon the cushion at her feet, hi

t is it that you want Amy to do for him, 'as a woman'? R

that-and

hing, and make sure that it will

brilliant society women he knows wouldn't do at all. The ideal kind would be-your own kind. But he can't have that." He spoke so decidedly that she smiled, though he did not see it. "It seems to me that

after he is walking about, as a part of his medicine? Shall you insist on her b

he will grow so used to having her with him, while he actually needs her as a nurse, that, when he ge

is very welcome to stay, as long

ave made such an arrangement without asking you

with a little ejac

e new conditions. It's all right-you are still master-particularly in everything that has to do with you

see, I'm just waking up to what I'm asking of you. It's precisely like my impetuosity to create

oth arms around her, kneeling beside her in the shadow of the vines. "It's cer

th him, and being a friend to him,-I couldn't see it, that's all, no matter how much good you might do him. Queer-I didn't know that was in me-that feeling. Macauley calls me a Turk. I guess that's what I am. It's a primiti

she answered softly. "But I

what he can of your dearness, as he's bound to feel it, in our home. But this comrade business, which I feel he's so much in

rstand me, little wife?" he begged. "I've seen so much

enoug

ch absorbed him. "I can see you haven't much

h fire. You don't feel that in throwing two peopl

comradeship as she would her medicines. She is the most con

an be a wonderfully interesting and compelling man, you know. It would be a pity for her to grow to ca

my Mathewson. I don't suppose I ever saw her-to look at her-out of her uniform, before that ni

and out of it. But it's not much use speculating on what will happen, when the arrangements are alre

r roof," her husband