"Don't tell me what Dr. Wright says! I am bored to death with what he says. I know he has been kind but I can't see that our affairs must be indefinitely directed by him. I will sleep a little now if you will let me be quiet." CHAPTER XX DR. WRIGHT TO THE RESCUE Nan went sadly off. What should she do? Dr. Wright was expected at the camp that afternoon and she determined to speak to him and ask him once more to interfere in the Carters' affairs. Even if the young physician did bore her mother, it was necessary now for him to step in. If only she would not carry out her threat of speaking to her husband! Dr. Wright treated the matter quite seriously when Nan told him of the mix-up. "Certainly your father must not be worried. It is quite necessary that he shall be kept out of the city for many months yet and no one must talk money to him. Can't your mother see this?" "She doesn't seem to." "But Helen understands, surely!" "I--I--think Helen thinks father is so much better that we can--we can--kind of begin to spend again," faltered Nan, whose heart misgave her, fearing she might be saying something to obstruct the course of true love which her romantic little soul told her was going on between Helen and Dr. Wright. At least she could not help seeing that he was casting sheep's eyes at Helen, and that while Helen was not casting them back at him she was certainly not averse to his attentions. "Begin to spend again! Ye gods and little fishes! Why, if bills begin to be showered in again on Robert Carter I will not answer for his reason. He is immensely improved, but it is only because he has had no worries. Where is your mother?" His face looked quite stern and his kind blue eyes were not kind at all but flashed scornfully. "She is in bed." "Is she ill?" "Well, not exactly--she--she--is kind of depressed." "Depressed! Depressed over what?" "Oh, Dr. Wright, I hate to be telling you these things! It looks as though I did not love my mother to be talking about her, but indeed I do. Douglas and I are so miserable about it, but we--we--somehow we feel that we are a great deal older than mumsy. We know it is hard on her--all of this----" "All of what?" "This living such a rough life--and having to give up society and our pretty house and everything." "Of course it is hard, but then aren't all of you giving up things, too?" "But we don't mind--at least we don't mind much. It is harder on Helen and mother because--because they--they are kind of different. And they don't understand money." "And do you understand it?" laughed the young doctor. "Well, Douglas and I understand it better. We know that when you spend a dollar you haven't got a dollar, but Helen and mother seem to think if you haven't got it you can charge it. I think they are suffering with a kind of disease--chargitis."