THE GIRL AND THE GAME
shocked as you please. I don't care. She wasn't thinking about you just now; she had other things to do. She smoothed the pillow, then pulled the sweater down from my chin, so it wouldn't scratch, and dipped her hand into the pitcher of ice-water and touched my forehead with it—twice, I think.
"Now I must go," she said, energetically.
"But, Ann—" I began.
"Good-by," she said. "Would you like some of these?"
"These" meant the flowers she was taking from her belt. I looked at them. They were the flowers I had sent. It was after the game now, and we didn't beat. Just think of that a minute.
"Will you have some of them?" she repeated, "'cause it's sort of dreary in this room, I should think. Are you better?"
But I wasn't looking at the flowers now.
"Ann," I said, "don't go just yet."
"Oh, but I must." She started for the door.
"No, you mustn't," I said.
"I'll bring Aunt Sue to nurse you."
14
