"It was good of you to come," Weston said, "but there is nothing to be done. Just tell Mills the whole valley is nursing me; tell him that I've one nurse alone who is worth a score." Mrs. Spiker looked very conscious, but Weston smiled at Mary. Then he quickly added: "Tell him that Mrs. Bolum and Mrs. Spiker and Mrs. Pulsifer—" he paused to make sure that none was missed—"and Mark here are a hospital corps, taken singly or in a body."
"I've told him that already," said Tim. "He knows everybody in Six Stars, I guess, and he says as soon as you get well and come back to the office, he will take a holiday himself, fox hunting."
"Poor little Colonel!" murmured Weston. "He'll have a melancholy career. And Mary, too, she'll——"
"But it was when I told him about Mary that he made up his mind to come," Tim said.
"Indeed." The girl spoke very quietly. "And, perhaps, Tim, you'll send Edith along to help us. We women of Black Log are so clumsy."
"A good idea," said Weston. "Capital. You must bring Miss Smyth up, too, Tim."
"Parker," I corrected, "Edith Parker."
"But is it Parker?" Weston appealed to my brother. "Mark tells me she's the book-keeper's daughter. Has old Smyth gone?"
"No," Tim stammered, very much confused. "I guess you don't know Parker. He's come lately."
"That explains it, then," said Weston.