And now it was a new atmosphere--an atmosphere of convalescence, of Gregory coming slowly back to life, visibly changing for the better, smiling, joking feebly, watching her wonderingly and devotedly, talking when he was allowed. “It’s such a ridiculous way to begin housekeeping,” Freda would tease him, gently. “It’s a maddening way and a marvelous way--to have all day to watch you and adore you and not to dare to pull you into my arms for fear a nurse will pop out on me.” “You may be sure one would.” “How long do I have to stay here?” “A wheeled chair next week if you are good and don’t get excited.” “A wheeled chair--when I want a highway with you beside me--” “If you’re impatient--” she stopped to smile at him. “Listen, Freda--we go straight off together, don’t we?” “Off where?” “Back home.” “We should stop to see my father and my mother. Do you know, Gregory, I didn’t even tell any one where I was going. I just came. I suppose they’re all mystified and probably worried. Though I wrote them not to be.” “Well, we’ll stop to tell your parents. And then off for Ireland.” “Have we enough money?” asked Freda. “Plenty. I have it somewhere. Let me see. It was a black bill case--maybe you could find it for me. Black bill case with an elastic band around it. There’s about five hundred. They paid me in notes--(bills, you say)--at these last places and I meant to get post office orders. Much safer. Hunt it up, will you, darling? And you might be looking up passage.” “Passage for weeks from now,” she said sternly. But she was as eager as he and they smiled at each other, doubled, trebled in happiness now that their storm had come and they had been able to weather it together. She went on the trail of the black bill case and found it easily enough. It was, with Gregory’s few valuables, in the possession of the hospital office. In it were some papers, some letters and twenty-three dollars. Her heart fell with a thump. “Is this all there was?” “His watch too--we never leave valuables with sick patients who have no relatives about. They might get picked up and the hospital be considered responsible.” “I mean all the money?” The nurse in charge of the office wrinkled her forehead and looked at the note regarding Gregory on her record. “Black bill case--letters--papers--twenty-three dollars in currency. That’s what he brought here. Is that correct? We’ve kept the bill case in our safe, of course.” She looked questioningly at Freda. “That’s what is here,” said Freda, “but you see my husband thought there was more--quite a lot more. I wonder was he sick in the hotel long?”