"You'll simply fall in love with her when you see her picture," prophesied Ruth, as she adjusted the pillow.
"No, I won't," declared Drew with emphasis.
"She's one of the dearest friends I have," Ruth continued, teasingly keeping her hand just out of Allen's reach. "Of course, I knew all about their engagement, and Mr. Parmalee's talked to me a lot about her during this voyage. The poor fellow was so lonely without her that I suppose he had to have some one to confide in."
A great light broke upon Drew's mind.
"So that's what you two used to talk about when I was so——" he hesitated, seeking for a word.
"So what?" she asked demurely, with a glint of the old mischief in her eyes.
"Oh, you know," he answered, hardly knowing how to proceed. He was doing his best to catch her eye but could not.
He raised up and caught her by the forearm, but he was too weak to hold her and she drew herself gently away.
"I told Mr. Parmalee that he must not excite you, and now I'm acting just as badly," she said. "You must rest or you'll never get well."
"Oh, I'm bound to get well now!" he declared. At that moment Tyke Grimshaw's face appeared at the doorway.