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"The doctor's name was Baldwin Stan Baldwin He says he knows you, Alden"

Dr Arood man What did he say about Tallie?"

"She has pneuh sense to call for help--I'ine, if--" She shuddered "Well, anyway, Sonny went to the island and brought her over to Bar Harbor, to the hospital Dr Baldwin said they've done X-rays, and blood tests, and that she has lobar pneus How bad is that, Alden?"

"It can be very serious, Kay But she's in a good hospital, with a good doctor What else did he say?"

"Not much Her temperature is down, some, from what it was They've started fluids intravenously, and penicillin She asked, of course, that he not bother us But I told him I'd come"

"I'll take you, Mo looked around uncertainly "Nancy, can you and Dad e? Oh, that's silly Of course you can Thank you, Nat We can leave first thing in theand be there by noon"

"How did she seem, when you saw her last month, Natalie?" asked her father

Natalie s We went swi, even, in that icy water She said that any year now she'll be a glamorous old lady But she sure didn't seem like an old lady when I was there"

Now, in the hospital bed, Tallie did look old And sht Natalie, that shrinks people It isn't fair, to dirin expanded Tallie "I feel so foolish," she said weakly, taking their hands in hers "And I hate it that you had to colad you ca the two of you"

"Don't talk, Tallie," said Kay, s to find Dr Baldwin, and talk to him Nat, you stay here and keep her company, but don't let her talk, okay?" She left the roo, Natalie?" asked Tallie when they were alone "I've been so curious I was hoping you'd write"

"Shhhh," said Natalie "Mo to feel better already, now that I have so a hospital is And tacky Will you look, Natalie, at these hideous green walls? Now tellon with you?"

Natalie sat down "Well, it's been strange, Tallie Itrip, to the tohere I was born And I found out lots of things--about the town, about my mother Her name was Julie"

Tallie raised an eyebrow "Not bad, for a name Bet she was beautiful, too"

Natalie smiled "I saw pictures of her, Tallie She looked like me, but she was different She was very beautiful--I don'tshe looked like hed "Don't be silly Hoas she different?"

Natalie pondered "It's hard to say I haven't figured it outabout her that didn't fit into the s, in "

"She was pregnant" Tallie chuckled "Of course so"

"No" Natalie shook her head slowly "Before that I could see it in the pictures She wasn't like the other girls, the ones she went to school with, the ones who lived in the town Even before she becaht with interest

Natalie sighed "I don't know She left, after I was born Her whole family moved away I can find out where she is, I think, just bymyself to make it I'm not sure why Suddenly I'm not sure that I want to intrude on her life"

Tallie rested, thinking "You know, Nat," she said finally, "if you don't do it now, after getting this far, you'll regret it"

"I know that But it's as if--well, I've grown to like her, Tallie"

"Surely you're not afraid that you'll like her better than your own parents?"

Natalie laughed "No, it's not that To be honest, I don't even think of her as e, Tallie--"

"You think of her as yourself That's not strange at all But you don't want to be disappointed"

"Yes I guess that's really it"

"Natalie, go find her Even if you're disappointed, you won't be sorry I, Tallie Chandler, guarantee it"

Natalie sat quietly for a minute, and then nodded "Okay And you, Tallie, you take care of yourself You're going to be all better soon I, Natalie Arrinned at each other

Natalie and her ly stronger; Dr Baldwin said on the fourth day that her lungs were completely clear, and that she'd been afebrile for twenty-four hours

"What does that mean?" asked Natalie

"It means she has no fever That she's well," said Dr Baldwin "She's a tough lady But she's going to be very weak for a while She can't go back alone to that island Could you take her hoo," Natalie and her hed "I thought I'd suggest it anyway But she's done nothing for two days except talk about how soon she can get back to the island See"

"Well," said Kay Ar slowly, "I haven't picked blueberries for years I'll go with her, and stay for a while What do you think, Nat? You girls can e at home, can't you? Keep Dad fed?"

Natalie nodded

When she had settled her ether in the island house, with promises from them both that they would call if there were any problems, she drove back to Branford alone