Again the girl flashed what seemed to be an angry glance toward him.
“I don’t enjoy your forcing me to confess the fact,” she went on, “but my brother and I are desperately poor—far too poor to hire any one to take care of us, even for a few days. He was working and taking care of me, and when his illness came we had almost nothing. He was only a reporter on a paper and I was at school.”
“Nevertheless,” said Dan firmly, “I am sure we shall manage in some way to have you cared for until you are all right again.”
The girl’s face cleared, and Dan noticed that she had a rather care-worn look which her words had just explained.
“I don’t know why I should feel it when we are utter strangers, but you do look as if you could make things happen the way they should. I suppose it is because you are strong and patient. I am neither of those things.”
But they could not go on talking because, at this moment, the Camp Fire guardian was coming toward them.
CHAPTER V
The Patient
“But it is awfully kind of you, Ellen.”
Ellen Deal shook her head.
“No,” she answered. “I shall like it. Since I came out West with you and the Camp Fire girls, Mrs. Burton, I have been feeling that perhaps I was here under false pretenses. You see I am older than the other girls, and came partly because Dr. Sylvia told me I might be useful to you. Except for showing you a few first aid remedies I have not been useful at all. I don’t feel that I am a particularly agreeable companion, so I add nothing to the pleasure of the Camp Fire in that way.”