Mrs. Red Pepper
a walk-or a pill-or whatever is due. Did
early evening light was falling. His tall figure straightened itself; evidently it cost him an effort to force his shoulders into their naturally erect carriage. But as he walked down the path by Miss Mathewso
e?" Amy asked, as th
hem, please. I shall be very glad when
ountry by exploring the old garden, over there? I hear that it has all sort
t is a long time sin
e old house over here i
haven't
interesting thing in the world to him were the matter of tenants for the litt
. Burns's friend, such an interesting young woman. She is coming her
ional phot
e would seem an expert. I never saw anything like them. Dr. Burns-he had never met her-was very much t
shrubbery rich with neglected bloom and sweet with all manner of scents-sweet-william, larkspur, clove-p
s old country place the greatest thing that could happen to me. There was a big bed of thes
he garden, which lay at the side and behind it, it sho
it wouldn't seem strange; I am used to living in a little old house. But such a girl as Miss Ruston-I can hardly ima
Leaver repeated.
h Carolina, I believe. I never
so long untrimmed that they spread almost to the earth. He sat down upon it, rather heavily, and lifted the clove-pink to his nostrils again. His dark brows contracted
, lest she suffer any harm. Dr. Burns, when he heard of it, insisted on coming ove
aken care of, and young women are apt to t
she brought up to amuse him, except as he assumed interest for her sake, went on with this one, and tol
it! When she looks at you she looks as if she-cared so much to see what you were like!" She laughed at her own attempt to make her
. He looked rather white, his nurse noticed, but she had become accustomed to seeing these moments come upon him-they passed away again, and
absorbed in what one is saying; it is a pretty trick of theirs. Won't you sit down, too, on thi
n the afternoons, a figure less severe than in her uniform. She had even added a touch of turquoise to the chaste whiteness of the d
ght run across and bring the book we are r
be told by any one, no matter what skill the historian brings to the telling. But I'm not in the mood for it to-night. I wonder if, in
ed, for a surgeon who, she understood, had broken
ietly. "One could hardly help
think him a f
ven though his office is out here in the village. Of course it is no
profession, I know. And yo
eaver? I thought I sp
ed the restraint. You assist D
f I am
been doing much
ut his eyes were open and regarding her rather closely. They were eyes whose
r, that he is willing, anxious, to spare me. The
to his hand, as
ur rose in a wave and bathed her fa
, but, when one is, she is like a second brain to the operator. Well, I'll soon release you. I don't need to be coddled now, though it's very pleas
like this-unless you are dissatisfied with me. I know Dr. Burns is taking gr
sed his eyes again. "Tell me about yourself-as Dr. Burns
suppose I take pride in having everything as he will w
ime comes for the start, you have yourself
ns is not. He has told me, more than once, that his heart is pounding like an engine when
fect his work-or yours-th
look at that squirrel! Out on the roof of the house-at the back.
y. Well, tell me, please, why you like th
quick breat
like it-am I too curious
appy to have a hand, even though it's only an assistant's hand, in saving life. But-the life isn't
straight-making it run smoothly again! One can hardly imagine turning one's hand to-book-binding, making things in brass, dressing
and dropped upon it, breathing short. She had instantly to his support a small bottle of strong salts which she always carried, but for a moment she feared that this
ou will have got above such bothersome minutes. I shouldn't
I'm as much of an infernal hypochondriac as
. Then, suddenly a voice hailed
tnut-tree?' Or is it an ap
fell upon his friend. It was not that John Leaver had not looked up with a smile, as Burns approached, nor was it that he now showe
you at the house, Miss
aver. "It's at least five degrees cooler under this tre
ave been try
tting-room. It gave me the keenest pleasure to see it hurt the tidy housewife, who didn't want her best room mussed up." He chuckled. "In one case I made her take down the stuffy lace window-curtains and open things up in great shape. She came ne
like this, with that sort of people, when you have so much
en it comes to making the move, I can't bring myself to it. You see, I happen to like it out here, and I like the village work. This way I get both sorts. I don't know why one's ambition should be all for city work. The peo
ery would lead you to take up an exclusive surgical practice. You could make a name. Yo
us, and questioned whether, with all his virtues, Burns were really possessed of the proper ambition. The man on the grass, aware of large interests in his busy life, looked at the man on the bench, whose interests were at present wholly concerned with recovering his health, and w
me has come when we are to carry it out. My wife has bought an old place, in the real country, three miles out on a road that turns off from the main road to the city. She is going to fit it up for a hospital for cr
ight have made it if it had been that of an appointment t
is a fine thing for you two to do. I can see that such an interest might well hold a ma
cases, here and there, that we shall try to handle. But I'm meeting with those every day-cases where the country air and the country fare are almos
He lay smiling to himself f
ve four little patients waiting now for the place. On three
fident and determined, brown eyes startled, st
g to back it up by argument, if you like, though I'd rather not. In fact, I'd
itterly, "that I've put all that behind me. I to
him to do. He'll do it-he's made that way. You will do this thing, and do it with all your old grip and skill. But I'm not going to discuss
ung photographer who is to sweep down upon us and make wonderful, dream-like images of us all, for good hard cash and fame? A friend of my wife's: a girl who looks twenty-five, but is a bit mor
village, I should suppose. But I shall not be among the victims of t
pon him. "What'
st the tree-trunk again. "I am as grateful to you and Mrs. Burns as
on to something
assed on your
phrases like that. Sa
ch improved as I can expect to be-for a long time.
giving me one of the most interesting studies I've engaged in in a lon
I can't do it, Red. You wouldn't do
rowing restless, I'll agree that you leave us, if you'll stay for a while where you'll be under my observation. I've set my heart on making a complete cure in this case-or, rather, you understand, assisting Nature to do so. If you go off somewhere I shall lose track of you. Suppose you stay in the village here for a while longer. I know a splendid place for you, j
ns could not see his face. But he hea
irely apart from any conditions under your control. Yet since you ask it of me, and I owe you so mu
much obli
two strolled away together,
Billionaires
Billionaires
Romance
Billionaires
Romance
Romance