The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-07-31

it away with her."
| aSister Theresa asked the General !;
"who is she 7"
Then the surgeon told him how the
&c Sister of Mercy" had asked permission
to nurse him, and how nobly and de-
yotedly she had battled with fate for his
life. The General listened with surprise,
and seemed entirely at a loss to compre-
bend why Sister Theresa should be SO
much interested in him, or who she could
be; and the surgeon was still more per-
picked and mystified by the affair:
off you wish to recover the ring, Ge-
neral" he said, at length, 81 Will ascer.
tain where Sister Theresa can be founa:
"No," was the reply, !" let her keep It,.
IF she took it, she will doubtless return II
to me. as see no reason why she should
wish to keep it: but if she cares to retain
it. let her do so for what she has done LOT
me-"
This settled the matter so far as the sur
econ was concerned; but it only raised his
Curiosity (aad he had fair share OF that
quality to the highest pitch. He was not,
however, more curious or more at a loss TO
penetrate the mystery which hung over
the affair than General Dufour himself.
The latter parsonage could not form any
idea as to the identity Of the Sister OF
Mercy who had manifested such an lnte-
rest in him, and he racked his brain rainly
to think of some definite reason tor the
affair. The surgeon had suggested that
the woman might have been an Old sweet
heart; butthis was negatived by the Ge-
neral most positively. Pierre Dufour mad
never given his heart to but one woman,
and he had never trifed with any. The
woman beloved was far away, and did not
love him sufficiently well to give up her
comfort and ease, and voluntarily take
upon herself the hardships and trials of
hospital nurse. It was useless to try to
solve the riddle, and he gave 1t up IN de-
spair.
In three weeks more the surgeon told
General Dufour that he might return to
France as soon as he pleased. The Gene
raj had written to the signora several
times during his convaescence; and her
replies had come to him regularly. She
reioiced at his promotion and the fame he
had won, and sympathized with him in his
sufferings. She would visit him, could
she follow her own inclination, but that
was then an impossbility. She hoped ne
would soon be well enough to return to
France, for she longed to see so true
friend as she believed him to be. But not
o word of love did the letters contain.
They were written quictly-the General
almost thought coldly-and he would have
suffered twice the danger and the bodily
torture he had passed through to have
gained from her one word Of the tender
ness his heart so iercely craved.
Yet he was not discouraged. He had
made up his mind to win the beautiful
signora for his wife, and he was not man
to fail in matters upon which be had set
his heart.
When he was pronounced well enough
| to travel, he lost no time in making his
arrangements, and was soon en- route for
Genoa, from which place he proceeded to
Marseilles, and thence to Paris, as he was
not yet we'll enough to hazard the journey
over the Alps.
in two hoursafter he reached Paris he
was in the presence of Signora Fonti. She
| received him joyfully, and with warmth
that made his heart thrill with happiness.
| She was as beautiful as ever, but she was
somewhat paler and thinner than usual.
| She had not been well, she said, and was
now Just getting back her strength. She
| made him tell her everything that con.
cerned himself: and when he spoke Of the
mysterious Sister Of Mercy, and her strange
devotion to him, and the loss of the ring,
| the signora looked at him with singular
smile, and said ~ wonder who she was.
Some one that loves you very much, ]
suppose"
He started as she spoke. He held her
it, while happy smile stole over his face.
eyes, I believe so now" he said, earn
estly. "It was some one that loved very
dearly, and believe now that she loved
me then, and loves me still. Do err,
dear Sister Theresa ?"
There were tears in his eyes as he spoke:
but he smiled happily, and pointed to the
missing ring, which now gltttered on the
signoras hand. | do not know her exact
answer to his question, butt do know that
it satisfied him, and that she told him she
loved him we'll enough to marry him..
"I loved YOU" she said, tenderly,
"when you went away, only | did not
know it. But when | thought Of the
danger to which you were daily exposed, /
saw how dear to me you were, and for
your sake determined to do my duty to
my country. disguised myself as "a Sis
ter of Mercy, aided by the Superior of the
Order here, who is my friend, and went to
Milan to nurse the wSunded. Twas happy
in being there, as was near to you. When
you were wounded and brought to Milan,
l asked permission to nurse you because l
loved you. I would have given my life to
save you, and Heaven blessed my efforts
and restored you to health. When you
recovered your consciousness went away,
because did not wish to be recognized by
you. wanted you to know that loved
you; and as l could not tell you, I took
with me the ring | had given you, knowing
that when We luet again you would recog-
nize it, and that would explain every
thing"
That night General Dufour wrote to the
surgeon that he had solved the mystery of
the ring, and found out the true name Of
the Sister of Mercy. .a
Indeed" he added, "the discovery i
have made is very pleasant one; and if
you can be spared from your duties shall
be glad to have you visit me one month
| from to-day, to witness my marriage with
| this .Self-same Sister Theresa"
Fannie Fern thinks it ought to be con-
sidered disgrace to be sick, contidentially