Schuyler, immersed in his own thoughts, had not been listening.

Blake eyed him, whimsically.

"Ain't I the gabby thing, though?" he remarked, at length. And then:

"A couple of million dollars for your thoughts, sweet chuck."

"I was thinking how near I came to turning this all down--and how I'm
sort of sorry that I didn't."

"Nell's better, isn't she?" queried Blake, suddenly.

"Better, yes; but not out of danger. Why?"

"Why," returned Blake, "it just occurred to me--see here, old man, I've
nothing much to do. Can't I stick around here? And then you can take Kate
and Muriel with you."

"That's good of you, Tom," said Schuyler, smiling a little. "But a
bachelor around a sick room is of about as much use as an elephant at a
pink tea.... No, Kate and I have talked it all over, and, under the
conditions, she has decided to stay at home. It'll be mighty hard,
though--mighty hard.... It must be nearly time to leave."

Blake looked at his watch.

"Nine fifty," he said. "What time does the train go?"

Schuyler did not answer; for just then there entered the room a tall,