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238 huskily to her, she ran to him and went down on her knees and put her two arms about him, whispering over and over in his ear:

"You are going to get well, Eddie. You are going to be all right! Dr. Gilchrist told me … he wanted me to be the first one to tell you … and he is the most wonderful man in the world … except my dear Boy Eddie. … And look, Eddie; look!"

Little Eddie Hurley, six years old, stared about him with the wondering eyes of six. Gravely he came forward to his mother's side.

"Are you my daddy?" he asked. And when a little joyous cry from the wounded man assured him that he was and a freed arm went out toward him, Eddie Hurley, Junior, offered the little rosebud of his mouth to be kissed by his father. And with their arms about one another Hurley and Rose and little Eddie were drawn very close together.

Steele, swinging about swiftly, went outside. As he went the roughened back of his big hand was drawn across his eyes … he had seen that Bill Rice had turned his back and was picking with a big fingernail at a splinter of the wall while Turk was suddenly taken with the imperious desire to give all of his attention to the carving of a generous cut of tobacco from his plug.

"Sure he'll get well," chuckled Dr. Gilchrist. "I'm not saying that it isn't a close squeak; I'm not saying that he'd make the riffle if I wasn't here to lend a hand; but most of all, Mr. Steele, I'm not saying that he'd