"Yes," admitted Phil gravely. "It is very dangerous. I don't exactly know what it is, but before she went away our family doctor said that if it came to an operation it would be a serious one. Now--now it seems that it's time for it. Dear old mother--I--I hope----" He was struggling with himself. "Oh, hang it all!" he suddenly burst out. "Let's get this room to rights. If--if I go away I'll have the nightmare thinking what shape it's in. Let's fix up a bit, and then go out and take a walk. Then it will be grub time. After that we'll go out and see if any more fellows have arrived." It was good advice--just the thing needed to take their attention off Phil's grief, and they fell to work with a will. In a short time the room began to look something like those they had left. "Here, what are you sticking up over there?" called Sid to Tom, as he detected the latter in the act of tacking something on the wall. "I'm putting up a photograph," said Tom. "A girl's, I'll bet you a new hat." "Yes," said Tom simply. "Why, you old anchorite, haven't I a right to? It's a pity you wouldn't get a girl yourself!" "Humph! I'd like to see myself," murmured Sid, as he carefully tacked up a calendar and a couple of football pictures. "Oh, that's Miss Tyler's picture, isn't it?" spoke Phil. "Yes." Phil was sorting his books when from a volume of Pliny there dropped a photograph. Tom spied it. "Ah, ha!" he exclaimed. "It seems that I'm not the only one to have girls' pictures. Say, but she's a good-looker, all right!" "She's my sister Ruth," said Phil quietly. "Oh, I beg your pardon," came quickly from Tom. "I--I didn't know." "That's all right," spoke Phil genially. "I believe she is considered quite pretty. I was going to put her picture up on the wall, but since Sid objects to----" "What's that?" cried the amateur misogynist. "Say, you can put that picture up on my side of the room if you like, Phil. I--I don't object to--to all girls' pictures; it's only--well--er--she's your sister--put her picture where you like," and he fairly glared at Tom. "Wonders will never cease," quoted the 'varsity pitcher. "Your sister has worked a miracle, Phil." "You dry up!" commanded Sid. "All I ask is, don't make the room a photograph gallery. There's reason in all things. Go ahead, Phil." "The next thing he'll be wanting will be to have an introduction to your sister," commented Tom. "I'd like to have both you fellows meet her," said Phil gravely. "You probably would have, only for this--this trouble of mother's. Now I suppose sis will have to leave Fairview and go to Palm Beach with me. I must take a run over this evening, and see her. She'll be all broken up." It was not much of a journey to Fairview, a railroad was well as a trolley line connecting the town of that name with Haddonfield.