Rachel stayed on after the doctor had gone. She smoothed the covers on Scotty's bed and picked things up from the floor. She did not touch him. Scotty watched with disinterest. He did not speak. He had no desire to.

She said, ``Do you think you'll miss school?''

He had noticed how formal and irritably exact Rachel had grown. He did not care. He felt her irritability did not concern him, yet he knew he would not care even if it did. He shook his head.

``We've had any number of calls about you. You could win a popularity contest at that school without any trouble. Miss Estherson called twice. She wants to pay you a visit. She says the children miss you. Apparently you were the light of their lives.''

Scotty shrugged slightly. Rachel came close to the bed, bent as if she would kiss him, then moved away. She was frowning. ``That doctor annoys me.'' She seemed to speak to herself. ``Do you suppose his self-consciousness is characteristic of the new Negro professionals or merely of doctors in general?''

She turned to him again. ``Well, Mrs. Charles - Sally -- has phoned too. She was very worried.'' Rachel's tone was dry. ``She didn't really say'' -- She glanced away at the floor, then swooped gracefully and picked up one of Scotty's slippers. ``I mean, do you feel like seeing Kate?''

Scotty said, ``I don't know.'' It was true. He did not. There was the slight pain, but it was no different from the throbbing in his head.