Herman Medfield glanced at her sharply as she came in.
"I've been ringing some time," he said dryly.
"I was in the linen-room. I'm sorry. I came as soon as I could."
He looked at her face. "What is the matter?" he asked.
"Nothing." She shook her head.
"You look as if you had been crying," he said, studying her.
"I haven't anything to cry about. I am very happy!" She returned his
gaze serenely, with a little fluttering look that came and went
underneath.
"You look happy," he admitted. "But I could swear you'd been crying."
"It doesn't matter how I look, does it?" She straightened the clothes a
little and shook out his pillows. "Can I get you something, sir? I'm
sorry you had to wait."
"It doesn't matter. But I woke up, and thought of Julian--I was afraid
he would go away.... I told you to have him wait, you know; and it's
after three--he ought to be here by this time." His tone was petulant.
"I'll see if he is here," she replied.
But the door of the sitting-room had opened and they caught a glimpse of
the young man crossing the room.
"There he is!" said his father with satisfaction. "Now, don't you go--I
may need you."
The boy came and stood in the doorway. "Hallo, Father! How do you do,
Miss Canfield." He bowed to her.
"Come in, Julian," said Medfield impatiently. "I missed you this
morning. How did you find things at the office?"
"All right, I guess." The young man crossed the room slowly. "I
shouldn't know if they weren't right.... I know as much about the
business as"--he looked about him and smiled--"as that brass knob over
there!" He nodded to it.
His father smiled contentedly. "You'll learn." Then he looked at him
quickly. "You like it, don't you?"
"Oh, I like it," said the young man comfortably. "I like it better than
anything I've ever done--I feel as if I belonged there. I feel like my
own grandfather, I guess." He laughed happily.
"Of course they treat me a good deal like a kid," he added.
"You're not so very old!" responded Herman Medfield with a twinkle.
The young man's eye rested impersonally on the nurse who was moving
about the room. "I'm growing up every day," he declared cheerfully.
Miss Canfield's face was not responsive. She was studying Herman
Medfield's chart. She took it up and left the room.
Medfield's eyes followed her. "There's a young woman who knows her
business," he said with approval.
Julian sat down. "She seems very competent," he responded.
His father shot a keen glance at his cheerful indifference.
"She's more than competent," he said severely. "You want to be tied up
like this for a while--to find out what people really are."
"I don't think I should mind it--so much." The boy smiled at him
frankly. "You look very comfortable, sir."
"I am better," admitted Medfield.
"What put you back yesterday?"
Medfield looked at the ceiling. "Nobody seems to understand just what it
was," he said quietly, "unless, maybe, Aunt Jane knows.... I think
perhaps she understands the case--better than the doctor."
"She's a nice old woman!" said Julian pleasantly. "Comfortable to have
around."
His father's glance was amused and a little critical. "How old do you
suppose she may be, my son?"
"Oh--I don't know--fifty! Any age!" said the boy. "You don't think of
age--with a woman like that. You just love her!"