Free Partners by Grace Livingston Hill Page B

work was worth."
    "Don't worry! I'm sure he hasn't, and don't think any more about this matter now. Here comes your orange juice, and soon the doctor will be back. After that I can bring Noel in to see you, but you must be very quiet and rested or the doctor will think you're having too much excitement." He smiled pleasantly and went out as the nurse came over to the bed with the orange juice.
    The doctor was in the reception room with Noel having a friendly talk and discovering a good many things for himself that went to make up the background of his puzzling patient. He turned to Reuben as he came in with a knowing look.
    "Well, sir, how did you make out? What do you think of my patient?"
    Reuben saw the quick look of fear dart into Noel's eyes and let his own smile blaze forth reassuringly.
    "Why, she seems quite a little improved, doesn't she? Yes, we had a pleasant talk, and I think I have some light on the matter. I believe she is expecting you to come in and say whether this young man can visit her. She is very eager to see him, of course."
    Noel's smile lighted his face, and he looked anxiously at the doctor.
    The doctor smiled down at him.
    "All right, young man, you win. I'll go in and give her the once-over right away, and then you can see your sister while Mr. Remington and I have a bit of conversation."
    The doctor left them, and Reuben looked down to find the child's eyes fixed earnestly upon him, as if he were reading the thoughts of his guardian.
    "Is my Gillian--all--right?" he murmured in a whisper.
    "She's doing very nicely," said Reuben. "I don't think you need to worry. I think she's going to be better very soon. Now, you be gentle when you go in, and don't get excited, you know. We don't want to get on her nerves. She's just beginning to get a little rested."
    "I will," said the boy eagerly. "C–c––can I ask her if she had nice oatmeal and soup and things?"
    "Oh, yes, I don't think that will do any harm. But, you know, the doctor may have ordered some different things for her from what you have. He may think she needs them."
    He looked grave at that and presently said, "I see!"
    Then the door opened and the doctor summoned him.
    It was a beautiful sight to see the boy as he entered the sickroom, stepping softly lest he make a noise, his cheeks bright with a lovely pink flush and his eyes like two stars, his hands outspread to balance himself. Reuben found himself watching him as if he were his own, and being proud of him. Such a little, wise, loving, manly baby!
    In the middle of the room he stood poised looking radiantly at his sister.
    "Hi, Gillian!" he said sweetly. "Are you awright?" And Gillian's eyes were filled with quick tears of joy, her lips in loving smiles.
    "Hi, Noel!" she answered feebly. The doctor and Reuben gave each other a quick look and stepped out into the hall together.
    "Great kid, isn't he?" the doctor said and then drew Reuben back into the reception room. "Well, Mr. Remington, did you find out anything?"
    "Yes," said Reuben. "We had a fairly plain talk. I discovered a miserable old reprobate of a stepuncle who turned up just before the girl's mother died, bullied her into letting him handle her money for her after she was too sick to go to the bank for her own check, and then after the mother died has been tormenting the girl out of her senses, threatening to send Noel to an orphanage. The girl was in such terror of him that she took the boy and ran away in the night and has been living in fear ever since she came here lest something would happen to the boy. The uncle told her that the money their father left in trust for them was all gone, the investments had failed, and the fifty dollars he gave her was all she would ever get. I don't imagine there was much perhaps, but I wouldn't be surprised if the old bum made away with it himself. The girl was too frightened ever to go back or even write to the trust company and investigate. She lives in stark terror that the