"It wasn't nearly so bad, while I stayed in the infirmary at college." She sighed as she thought of her bright, airy room, the coming and going of the girls with their gay petting and sympathy, the roses and magazines and dainties. "But here, in this tiresome, lonely place! How can I expect to get well!"
Here she lay, shut up in Rod's rooms, alone day after day, save for the vague, pottering kindnesses of Rod's vague old landlady. At night her brother would come home from his long day's work as cub draughtsman in the city engineer's office, too tired to talk. And Marian, forbidden by overstrained eyes to read, could only lie by the fire, and tease Empress, and fret the endless hours away.
At last, with a deep breath, Rod laid down the letter. He pulled his chair beside her lounge.
"I'll tell you pretty soon. Anything doing to-day?"
"Isabel and Dorothy came in from Wellesley this morning, and brought me those lovely violets, and told me all about the Barn Swallows' masque dance last night. And the doctor came this afternoon."
"Just what he always says. 'No more study this year. Out-door life. Bread and milk and sleep.' Tiresome!"
He dropped his sentence, and sat staring at the fire.
"Rod! Are you never going to tell me what is in that letter?"
"That letter? Oh, yes. Sure it won't tire you to talk business?"
"Well, then--I have an offer of a new position. A splendid big one at that."
"A new position? Truly?" Marian sat up, with brightening eyes.
"Yes. But I'm not sure I can swing it." Rod's face clouded. "It demands a mighty competent engineer."
"Well! Aren't you a competent engineer?" Marian gave his ear a mild tweak. "You're always underrating yourself, you old goose. Tell me about this. Quick."
"It's such a gorgeous chance that I can't half believe in it," he said, at length. "Through Professor Young, I'm offered an engineer's billet with the Breckenridge Engineering and Construction Company. The Breckenridge Company is the largest and the best-known firm of engineers in the United States. Breckenridge himself is a wonder. I'd rather work under him than under any man I ever heard of. The work is a huge drainage contract in western Illinois. One hundred dollars a month and all my expenses. It's a two-year job."