Rachel mentioned Kate. She said, ``I notice the girl from across the street hasn't bothered to phone or visit.''

Scotty said, ``That's all right. Kate's all right.'' He thought about it briefly, then deliberately turned the talk to something else.

Once, sitting at the front window in his parents' room, he saw Kate come out of her house. She was with Elizabeth. They were far off and looked tiny. The heavy branches in his front yard would hide and then reveal them. They turned at the bottom of Kate's steps and moved off in the direction of the park. He thought he saw -- it awakened and, for a moment, interested him -- that Elizabeth held a leash in her hand and that a round fuzzy puppy was on the end of the leash. Then they disappeared and Scotty got up and went into his own room and got into bed. By the time he was under the covers he had forgotten about seeing Kate.

The doctor, since Scotty was no longer allowed to make his regular trips into town to see him, came often and informally to the house. He would sit, slim-waisted and spare, on the edge of Scotty's bed, his legs crossed so elaborately that the crossed foot could tap the floor. Scotty did not mind the doctor's unsmiling teasing as he used to.

``Husky young man,'' he said with mock distaste. ``I imagine you're always battling in school.''

``I don't go to school any more.''

``Pardon?'' The doctor had to bend close to hear; his delicate hand, as veined as a moth's wing, rested absently on Scotty's chest. Scotty said the same words more loudly. ``Oh. Well, we're taking a little vacation, that's all.'' He turned unsmilingly to Rachel. ``I think by the end of next week he could get out in the air a little. He could now but the weakness is very definite; it would exhaust him further and unnecessarily. He'll be stronger soon.'' His stethoscope was on the table by Scotty's bed and he picked it up and wagged it at Scotty. He said fussily, ``Just keep the cap on those strong emotions.'' The stethoscope glinted silver in the darkening room. ``I'll drop by again in a few days.''