But for all boarders, their comfort and convenience, Fifi had the great respect which all of us feel for the source of our livelihood; and, stammering grateful thanks, she again assured him that she could not make such a nuisance of herself.  However, of course Mr. Queed had his way, as he always did.

This point definitely settled, he picked up his pencil, which was his way of saying, “And now, for heaven’s sake—­good-night!” But Fifi, her heart much softened toward him, stood her ground, the pile of school-books tucked under her arm.

“Mr. Queed—­I—­wonder if you won’t let me get something to put on your forehead?  That bruise is so dreadful—­”

“Oh, no!  No!  It’s of no consequence whatever.”

“But I don’t think you can have noticed how bad it is.  Please let me, Mr. Queed.  Just a little dab of arnica or witch-hazel—­”

“My forehead does very well as it is, I assure you.”

Fifi turned reluctantly.  “Indeed something on it would make it get well so much faster.  I wish you would—­”

Ah!  There was a thought.  As long as he had this bruise people would be bothering him about it.  It was a world where a man couldn’t even get a black eye without a thousand busybodies commenting on it.

“If you are certain that its healing will be hastened—­”

“Positive!” cried Fifi happily, and vanished without more speech.

One Hour a Day to be given to Bodily Exercise....  How long, O Lord, how long!

Fifi returned directly with white cloths, scissors, and two large bottles.

“I won’t take hardly a minute—­you see!  Listen, Mr. Queed.  One of these bottles heals fairly well and doesn’t hurt at all worth mentioning.  That’s witch-hazel.  The other heals very well and fast, but stings—­well, a lot; and that’s turpentine.  Which will you take?”

“The turpentine,” said Mr. Queed in a martyr’s voice.

Fifi’s hands were very deft.  In less than no time, she made a little lint pad, soaked it in the pungent turpentine, applied it to the unsightly swelling, and bound it firmly to the young man’s head with a snowy band.  In all of Mr. Queed’s life, this was the first time that a woman had ministered to him.  To himself, he involuntarily confessed that the touch of the girl’s hands upon his forehead was not so annoying as you might have expected.

Fifi drew off and surveyed her work sympathetically yet professionally.  The effect of the white cloth riding aslant over the round glasses and academic countenance was wonderfully rakish and devil-may-care.

“Do you feel the sting much so far?”

“A trifle,” said the Doctor.

“It works up fast to a kind of—­climax, as I remember, and then slowly dies away.  The climax will be pretty bad—­I’m so sorry!  But when it’s at its worst just say to yourself, ’This is doing me lots and lots of good,’ and then you won’t mind so much.”