carefully.

"We are going to have a doctor for you today," she announced, and
Allen sat up in bed with a jerk.

"What for?" he demanded. "I don't need any doctor. I'm feeling all
right now, and ten to one, he'd make me sick. They always do. Please
don't bring one of them in here."

"Don't make a fuss and get excited, please," Mrs. Irving cautioned
him gently, while her eyes dwelt with humorous sympathy upon Betty's
back. "I'm going down to prepare some breakfast, and perhaps Betty
can persuade you about the doctor."

Before either of them realized it, she was gone, leaving them alone.
Still Betty forgot to turn round.

For several minutes, Allen lay and regarded her contentedly. Then he
gave a mountainous sigh, and finally:

"What have I done?" he queried pathetically. "It's one of the
prettiest backs I ever saw, but that's no reason why I should have to
look at it all the time. Besides, you seem to forget that I have a
sore shoulder."

Betty turned to him swiftly, half laughing and half grave.

"I never know when to believe you," she said, coming toward him
slowly and moving a chair up to the edge of the bed. "You see, that's
the worst of having a bad reputation."