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,