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 towards the door, "but if you can spare an hour or so occasionally, it will hasten your patient's recovery."

"I can hardly come and insist on talking to you, can I?" she asked, looking up at him frankly. "Will you come in the lounge now?" he asked.

She nodded and led the way to a quiet corner, where they seated themselves.

Beresford ordered coffee, then picked up the thread of conversation where it had been interrupted.

"Yes, you could," he said.

"Could what?" she enquired.

"Insist on coming up and talking to me."

"But" she began.

"I'm your patient, and you've neglected me horribly."

"But I don't understand. If you had wanted" She broke off, then added, "I have been here all the time."

"But you have been evading your responsibilities," insisted Beresford smiling. "Suppose I had followed you about like a lost dog, you would probably have regretted your Samaritanism."

"But isn't there something between the two?" she asked.

"Suppose you tell me how many hours of the day you can tolerate me," he said; "in other words, ration me."

She smiled. "I thought you were avoiding me," she said quite frankly.

"I avoiding you?" He looked at her