Without speaking she moved to the back of the chair and began wheeling him toward the door. It really moved very easily. She stopped at the door, opened it and pushed him through. “Which door?” she asked. “That one,” he pointed. It was next to Gloria’s room and across the hall from her own. The obvious thought came to her of how these two, apparently so near, were separated by a bridgeless ocean of misunderstanding. CHAPTER XV “It’s a worse storm than the one that held up your train; it’s rather Christmasy and all that, but it’s rather unfortunate, because the nurse has become alarmed about Professor Pendragon and he wanted to take the early train back to New York. We’ve telephoned Dr. Gerstens, and if it’s possible for anything to travel five miles through this snow storm he’ll be here.” Ruth glanced across the breakfast table at Gloria while Angela was speaking, but there was no annoyance on Gloria’s face, only a desperate fear looked out of her eyes. Again it seemed to Ruth that she was a trapped bird. “How about the children?” asked Mr. Peyton-Russell. “Oh, these storms never last more than a few hours; by noon it will be over and most of them can get here—those that only live a few miles away. They’re accustomed to weather like this—unless James refuses to take out the horses—James, you know, thinks more of the horses than he does of us,” she continued, turning to the others. “You know every Christmas John has the most beautiful custom. He gees around to all the farm houses and collects the children and brings them here to play games and enjoy our Christmas tree. I expect you to help entertain them, Ruth. You’re the youngest person here.” “I’m afraid I don’t know much about children, but I’ll try.” “I’ll help,” said Terry quickly. “I knew you would,” said Angela, and they all laughed, though Ruth could see nothing to laugh at. She was beginning to fear that the events of the last weeks had dulled her wits. “Can’t Pendragon take the afternoon train if it clears up?” asked Mr. Peyton-Russell. “The nurse won’t let him; says he can’t stand sleeping cars. She simply won’t let him go until morning—and perhaps when Dr. Gerstens comes he’ll say it isn’t necessary—though he has looked rather badly the last few days. You know at first I quite forgot that he was ill until he would try to walk. I like him so much—don’t you think it’s awfully sweet of me to like John’s friends, Gloria?” Angela was in one of her juvenile moods in which Gloria usually encouraged her, but now she only answered: “Yes, very.” “It is the duty of a good wife to like the friends of her husband,” said Prince Aglipogue, who by this time had sufficiently satisfied the first keen edge of the appetite acquired through the night to begin taking part in the conversation.