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Show XXII B :1Slrtbtla11 JPart11 ALLISON received the note from Rose at the time he was expecting Rose herself, and was keenly disappointed. "She might at least have stopped long enough to say goodbye," he said to his father. "Don't be selfish, lad," laughed the Colonel. "We owe her now a debt that we can never hope to pay." The young man's face softened. "What a brick she has been ! " Then, to himself, he added: "if she had loved me, she couldn't have done more." Life seemed very good to them both that crisp September morning. Just after breakfast Doctor Jack had announced, definitely, that the crushed hand was saved, unless there should be some unlooked-for complication "But mind you," he insisted, "I don't promise any violin-playing, and there 'II be scars, but we 'II make it look as well as we can. Anyhow, you 'II not be helpless." ~--~----------------------~ :a lltrtbba)l t:~art)l Allison smiled happily. "Why can't I play, if it heals up all right?" "There may be a nerve or two that won't work just right, or a twisted muscle, or something. However we 'II keep hoping." The heavy weight that had lain so long upon Allison's heart was slow in lifting. At first he could not believe the good news, greatly to Doctor Jack's disgust. "You don't seem to care much," he remarked. "I supposed you'd turn at least one somersault. The Colonel is more pleased than you are." "Dear old dad," said Allison, gratefully. " I owe him everything." "Everything?" repeated the Doctor, with lifted brows. "And where does Jonathan Ebenezer Middlekauffer come in, to say nothing of the future Mrs. Kent?" Allison's face clouded for an instan t. "I 'II never forget what you've done for me, but there isn't any future Mrs. Kent." "No? Why I thought--" "So did I, but she's thrown me over and gone away. This morning she sent me a note of congratulation and farewell." "Upon my word ! What have you done to her?" "Nothing. She says I don't need her any more now, so she's going away." Doctor Jack paced back and forth on the .... Jllll.on ~CCC1'ftCI tbe'lh:ws |