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at Jill ’ s, and her maids are so—well, snooty! I ’ d much rather do it for myself. ”
    “ Well, if any of the maids here tries to ‘ snoot ’ you, you let me know, won ’ t you? ” Hilary smiled hearteningly. “ We don ’ t allow that! We want our guests to be happy and contented, as well as comfortable. ”
    Mrs. Barton managed a smile which was faintly damp around the edges.
    “ You ’ re mighty nice. Do you work here all the time? ” she asked hopefully.
    “ All the time, and the little button right here will turn the light on over your door. And when I see that light on, I promise you I ’ ll come running! ”
    “ That ’ s comforting to know ,” Mrs. Barton confessed, and the smile now was a little more convincing.
    Hilary returned the smile and went out.

 
    Chapter Six
    Dr. Marsden came from his office, saw Hilary and called to her. She followed him back into his office and stood waiting.
    “ Sit down, Miss Westbrook, ” he ordered curtly, and Hilary obeyed him. “ Have you ever done any work in geriatrics, Miss Westbrook? Gerontology? ”
    “ You mean in the diseases of the aged? No, Doctor. ”
    “ Then I ’ m wondering whether you are going to be happy here, Miss Westbrook. ”
    Hilary squared her shoulders and her chin came up.
    “ Are you asking for my resignation, Doctor? ” she asked coolly.
    “ Not at all, Miss Westbrook. ” His tone was equally cool. “ You ’ re a competent nurse, I ’ m quite sure. It ’ s just that geriatrics requires a rather specialized study. I ’ m wondering if perhaps you aren ’ t wasted here, since very few of our patients require anything but supervisory care. And of course the most important part of that care is that they not be coddled. It tends to create self-pity, which is an evil disease in itself, one that doesn ’ t respond to treatment very readily. ”
    Hilary studied him for a moment, her chin still tilted, her brown eyes measuring.
    “ I ’ m quite sure that you are saying all this because of something I ’ ve done or said— ” she began.
    “ Not at all, ” he interrupted her brusquely. “ It ’ s just that this is the first time I ’ ve been able to discuss the job with you. The clinic keeps me pretty busy and, of course, no doctor likes to waste his time and whatever skill he may have in treating the entirely imaginary ills and ailments of a lot of elderly people who have very little to amuse themselves with except the belief that they are ill. ”
    Hilary said deliberately, “ Then if you feel that way about your work here, Doctor, it seems to me you should be the one to resign. ”
    For a moment there was a glint of anger in his blue eyes, and they became steely gray rather than blue.
    “ On the contrary, Miss Westbrook, I feel that my time here is very well spent, since there are forty elderly people whom I can study, and whose needs I may be able to diagnose, so that later I can be helpful to people who are unable to afford such a luxurious ‘ nursing home ’ as the Retirement Club, ” he told her. “ Does that answer your question? ”
    “ I wasn ’ t asking a question, Doctor, not of you. I wouldn ’ t dare, because you ’ re a doctor, ” she told him sweetly.
    Now there was no mistaking his angry resentment. For a moment gray-blue eyes met brown ones, and neither would lower.
    “ Very commendable of you, I ’ m sure, ” he said dryly at last. “ Of course you are very well-trained and very competent and the Club is very fortunate in having you here. But I must insist that you do not coddle the guests. ”
    “ I ’ m afraid I ’ m not quite certain just what you mean by ‘ coddle ’ , Doctor, ” she said quietly, her eyes still angry.
    “ I think you do, ” he answered. “ I mean, they must not be encouraged to feel sorry for themselves. ”
    “ Why should they? They couldn ’ t possibly have a more beautiful or luxurious place to live. The ones who should feel sorry for themselves are the