Mandy was not happy in her mind. No matter how tempting the dishes she cooked, her beloved "Miss Kitty" failed to eat more than "jes' scraps," as Mandy expressed it in her disgust. But Kitty's heart as well as her thoughts were centered in the sickroom and she did not linger elsewhere. Weakened through loss of blood and shock, Ted Rodgers had lain partly conscious all through the morning, taking no interest in his surroundings and only rousing when Kitty spoke to him. But even to her he addressed no conversation, being content to hold her hand and gaze at her with his heart in his eyes. "Do go and lie down, Miss Baird." Miss Grey, the trained nurse, laid a sympathetic hand on Kitty's shoulder. "I assure you Mr. Rodgers is better, and I promise to call you the moment Dr. McLean gets here." Kitty stretched her cramped muscles and looked at Ted. Even to her inexperienced eyes, he appeared to be resting more comfortably and his cheeks were a healthier color. She felt inexplicably weary; her eyelids were heavy from lack of sleep and her head ached unmercifully. Taking care not to arouse Rodgers, Kitty moved away from the bedside. "I'll be in the room," she told Miss Gray, lowering her voice, "just across the hall, and I will leave my door open. If you want the slightest thing just call me, and I will come at once." Kitty's desire for "forty winks," as her aunt had always termed her afternoon nap, was not to be gratified immediately, for as she stepped into the hall, Mandy came toiling up the stairs. "Law, ma'am, Miss Kitty!" she ejaculated. "Dis hyar day am gwine to be de ruination of me. I wish that no-count nigger, Oscar, was hyar attendin' to his work." "I wish so, too!" echoed Kitty fervently. "Have you had word from Oscar?" "No, m'm." Mandy had a habit of mumbling her words. "Whar's Mrs. Potter?" "I'm sure I don't know." Kitty yawned. "In the library, probably." "No she ain't, neither!" Mandy's exasperation was gaining the upper hand. "Thar's been two telephone calls fo' her, an' I 'spects Mister Ben'll jump clear through his skin if she don't come an' talk to him." "Is Mr. Ben on the 'phone now?" "Yessim." "I'll talk to him on the branch 'phone." Kitty crossed the hall. "You might see if Mrs. Potter is lying down in the boudoir." The telephone instrument was close by the door and Kitty, who had earlier in the day deadened the sound of the bell by stuffing cotton about it, so that its ring might not disturb Rodgers, took off the receiver. No masculine voice answered her low hail, and finally, convinced that her cousin must have grown tired and rung off, she hung up the receiver. Going over to her bed she threw herself fully dressed upon it, and in a few minutes her even breathing showed that she had fallen into the heavy slumber of utter exhaustion.