Where was I? I had a faint remembrance of jolting in a wagon, and of pitying faces bent over me, but where was I now? Again I opened my eyes, and noted the gay patchwork covering of the bed, and the green paper curtain of the window in the golden wall--green, with a tall yellow flower-pot on it, with sprawling roses of blue and red. Turning with an effort toward the side whence all the brightness came, in a moment two warm arms were round my neck, and a face that I could not see was pressed close to mine. "Oh, Charlie, Charlie! forgive, forgive me for being so bad!" "Bessie," I answered dreamingly, and seemed to be drifting away again. But a strong odor of pungent salts made my head tingle again, and when I could open my eyes for the tears they rested on my darling's face--my own darling in a soft white dress, kneeling by my bedside, with both her arms round me. A vigorous patting of the pillow behind me revealed Mrs. Splinter, tearful too: "He's come to now. Don't bother him with talk, Miss Bessie. I'll fetch the tea." And with motherly insistance she brought me a steaming bowl of beef-tea, while I still lay, holding Bessie's hand, with a feeble dawning that the vision was real. "No," she said as Bessie put out her arm for the bowl, "you prop up his head. I've got a steddyer hand: you'd just spill it all over his go-to-meetin' suit." I looked down at myself. I was still dressed in the clothes that I had worn--when was it? last week?--when I had started for the Shaker meeting. "How long?" I said feebly. "Only this morning, you darling boy, it all happened; and here we are, snug at Mrs. Splinter's, and Mary Jane is getting the cottage ready for us as fast as ever she can." How good that beef-tea was! Bessie knew well what would give it the _sauce piquante_. "Ready for us!" "Here's the doctor at last," said Hiram, putting his head in at the door. "Why, hillo! are we awake?" "The doctor! Dr. Wilder?" I said beamingly. How good of Bessie! how thoughtful! "Not Dr. Wilder, you dear old boy!" said Bessie, laughing and blushing, "though I sha'n't scold you, Charlie, for that!" in a whisper in my ear. "It's Dr. Bolster of Lee. Hiram has been riding all over the country for him this afternoon." "I'll go down to him," I said, preparing to rise. "No you won't;" and Mrs. Splinter's strong arm, as well as Bessie's soft hand, patted me down again.