She rose at once and went to him.

"Is he all right, Miss Merritt?"

"Yes. He's sound asleep."

"Then you think he's better?"

"Much better."

"Good. I hope you can stay on the case. Dr. McKenzie says it is all
because of your splendid care of him. I just left McKenzie, by the
way. I took him and his daughter to the ball at the Willard. We had a
corking time."

Her eyes saw a change in him. This was not the listless Derry with
whom she had talked the day before--here were flushed cheeks and
shining eyes--gay youth and gladness--.

"A corking time," Derry reiterated. "The President was there, and his
wife--and we danced a lot--and--" he caught himself up. "Well,
good-night, Miss Merritt."

"Good-night." She went back to the shadowed room.

Bronson, following Derry, came back in a half hour with a dry, "Is
there anything I can do for you, Miss Merritt?" and then the house was
still.

And now Hilda was alone with the old man in the lacquered bed. There