'Wych,' he said as he came in one evening just ready for dinner, 'I have found an old friend to-day.'
'O, are they beginning upon you?' said Wych Hazel. 'I hope it is not a new one for me?'
'I hope it is a new one for you,' said he, looking somewhat wonderingly at her. 'Or rather, I hope you will be a new friend for him. What's the matter?'
'Some day when you come home,' said Hazel, 'you will find this room tenanted solely by a heap of cards, invitations, enquiries and congratulations. Exploring therein cautiously, you may perhaps discover the top of my head!'
'Oh!'said Dane. 'I will carry you away before it gets to be so bad as that. This is an old fellow-student of mine, Hazel; an odd, clever, careless, unselfish fellow, who has never got along in the world. He took to art, came to America, on account of some family troubles at home; and here he was a good deal petted in society. Now he is ill, and alone, and I fear very poor. He is at a boarding house, where I suspect he cannot pay his bills; quite alone. He had not a friend. Nor, I am afraid, a sou.'
'And you are going off to take care of him?' said Hazel, facing round with sudden interest.
'Why, wherever he is. To his hotel, or his room.'
'I have just come from him. He is not suffering from acute illness now; but he is pining away, I think, for want of good food and fresh air, and home. You see, we were comrades together in Göttingen; and he comes from over there. He was very glad to see me.'
'Do send him off to paint Dr. Maryland's portrait! There is nothing Prim wants so much; Consign him to Mrs. Bywank.'
Rollo's eye brightened and warmed; but he went on. 'He may never paint again, Hazel. If we receive him, it _may_ be that it will only be to see him fade away in the midst of us.'
'Well What then?' she added softly after a minute.
She looked gravely up and down. 'But nothing elsethat I can think ofwould be so much like home.'
The kisses which answered her were energetic enough to speak without words; and when a few minutes later dinner was served, Rollo came to the table with the air of a satisfied man. And then he told Hazel stories about Göttingen.
'Prim writes that Mrs. Coles is coming to town,' said Hazel, later in the meal, when roast venison had superseded student life.