Red Pepper's Patients / With an Account of Anne Linton's Case in Particular

moderate one. Fast or slow, it would not take long to cover the twelve miles over the macadamized road to the hospital in the city, and if it was to be her last bath in the good outdoors f

?" he inquired when a mile or t

hem. They were very wonderful eyes, and none the less wonderful because of t

t how warmly pleasant were the tones of her voice, which was a bit deeper than one would ha

Have you wri

have to go about selling books. He wondered how it happened. She opened her handbag and took out the small book. "I

sted. "I've a lot of nieces and neph

ke to give you one if you would take it, to sh

k into his pocket. "As for the drive, it's much jollier not to be covering the ground alone.

uggested. "You needn't be. I didn't want to go, just at first, but then-I felt I could trust the

pulled me through in great shape. You're right in trusting him and you can keep right on, to the last ditch-" He stopped short again, with an inward thrust at hims

his first phrase. "What did you call the Docto

ends who are a bit older than I usually do, and people speak of him that way. It's his hair, of course-and-well, he has

he has a quick temper," she mused. "I'm glad of that-I

any more mistakes, to make them on the side of encouragement. "Pluck, and endur

start out into the world with," said Miss

ces which young King had heard he beguiled the way; and by the time he had told Miss Linton a story or two about certain experiences of his own in the Rockies, the car was approa

ffering a decided pang of sympathy for the young stranger he was to leave within its walls. "

ut he cut her short. "I'm going in with you, if I may," he said. "Something mi

ked to wait for a minute. He realized now more than he had done before her weakness and the sense of loneliness that was upon her. He stood beside her, hat in hand, wishing he had some rig

appeared, one showing the commanding presence of a person in authority, the other wearing the pleasantly efficient aspect of t

e. "It's a mistake, I think," she said, lifting her head as if it were very heavy, but sp

s said room," she returned. "Nobody here is

persisted the girl. "I am n

" said the other. "You can settle it wi

if it's going to be a case of two red hea

s Linton's. "Come," she said gent

nd dared to give it a strong pressure, and to say in a low tone: "It'll be all right, yo

"I shall not forget

er supporting steps which seemed suddenly to falter, and King w

in now and then less like a sleep than a stupor, to find a pair of broad shoulders within her immediate horizon, and to feel

le than doctor's office chairs? Won't mind if you don't ring any door bells

y much more weary now that she had stopped trying to k

thinking on that point. You know you agreed

can't p

one else, more powerful than I am under this roof-and that's saying something, I assure you. I think yo

side of the narrow high bed and sat down beside it. Miss Linton looked into the face, as it seemed to her, of one of the most attractive women she had ever seen. It was a

cial friends use it. And I come to see them here. When you are getting well, as you will be by and by, I can ha

ression in the stranger's relaxed. "I see," said the weary voice. "You are used to having your way-just as he is. I'll

nd-I want you to know that, little or big, you are my friend. So no

, and the lids were held tightly shut as if

re you going to let

nybody e

her badly som

could use them all!" decla

rthel

door. "Please send Miss Arden here for a minute," he requested. Then h

as I do, that this is one of the ten pla

wonder, a

e time. She lifted her heavy eyes unwillingly, then she drew another deep breath of relief. "I would rather have

hey look at you, Selina. And what Mrs. Burns wants she usually gets. You m

ready," said

we have to give you," he said. "You are to trust everythin

red Mrs. Burns, bending fo

the girl as they left he

it should be through, listened to words which roused in her deeper wonder than she had yet felt for the most unusual patient she had had in a long time. Although there was as yet nothing that coul

n from another world. Things aren't fair-they aren't. That you should have to suffer all you did, to bring you to that pass-while I-But I know a good deal about it

r in, do they ever, ever ask her to sit down? The places where I've stood, telling them about the book, while they were telling me they didn't want it-stood and stood

he thought of sleep had brought it on.

tty dark, too, and his heart seemed-well, not exactly cold. Did he send me some daffodils the other day? I can't seem to remember. It seems as if I had seen som

mpanied other flowers. Miss Arden doubted if her patient realized who had sent any of them. Afterward-if there was to be an afterward-she would show the cards to her. Miss Arden, like many other people, knew Jordan King by reputation, for the family was an old and established one in the city, and the early s

figure entered. Springing up to meet Doctor Burns, Miss Arden showed no surprise. It was a common thing for this man, summoned t

d up at Burns. "You've made a mistake, I think," said the patient's voice, polit

. In that case will you let me stay a minute?" His fingers pressed the pulse. Then his hand closed over hers with

willingness. "I'd take one to pleas

ich the nurse had brought him and upon which she was throwing the light of

with a sigh. "But I don't li

eep your red-headed doctor master of the sit

anyway," said

ly. He gave a few brief directions, the

l days. King came up to him eagerly. Since this meeting occurred just outside the hospital, where Burns's car h

r Burns, as the young man was well aware, seldom served any purpose but to s

is doing. I'm just back from Was

s cases, particularly if they are not progressing to suit h

tled. "You mean-

g for existenc

aven't giv

that question would make him explode. "Given her up! Do

dmitted Jordan King, looking decidedly unhappy and anxi

. The sound w

nd the engine had caught the spark and turned over. "If there's anything I coul

o Anne Linton and nobody else. If she can do the trick-she and Nature-all right.

course down a side street from which he could get a view of certain windows. They were wide open to the May breeze and th

n his teeth, "I'll bring her such an armful of roses she