The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1867-10-09

cot thinking OF the dear woman he left be
hind liz France, and wondering how she hae
passed the months that had elapsed since h,
had seen her. He had not thought of hel
parting gift since his convalescence began
and now he remembered it, and he raised hi:
! hand to look at the ring, when, to his surprise
| he found it was missing. The surgeon was
passing through the ward at the time, ane
! The General called him and stated his loss
"Do you know whether it was on my hant
when was brought here z"
s"Yes," replied the surgeon, II remember
the ring distinctly, for I at first though
of taking it off your hand. lest it should b.
troublesome while you were suffering from
your wound but | decided to let it remain.
"What can have become of it ? value
it highly. It is the gift of dear friend,
said General Dufour 8.
II can't imagine" thesurgeons aid thought
| fully, sunless Sister Theresa took it away
with her" "a
"Sister Theresa p asked the General
"who is she ?" llA
Then the surgeon told him how the sSistel
of Mercy" had asked permission to nurse
him, and how nobly and devotedly she had
battled with fate for his life The General
listened with surprise, and seemed entirely at
loss to comprehend why Sister Theresa
should be so much interested in him, or who
she could be: and the surgeon was stillmo
perplexed and mystifed by the affair. !,
off you wish to recover the ring General, =
he said, at length, II will ascertain where
Sister Theresa can be found"
Me-" was the reply, "let her keepit If
she took it, she will doubtless return it 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 for me-"
This settled the matter so far as the surgeon
was concerned but it only raised his curiosi-
ty (and he had fair share of thet quality
to the highest pitch. He was not, however,
more curious or more at loss to penetrate
the mystery which hung over the affair than
General Dufour himself The latter person
age could not form any idea as to the identi-
ted such an interest in him, and he racked
his brain yainly to think Of some definite
reason for the affair. The surgeon had sug-
gested that the woman might have been an
old sweetheart; but this was negatiyed by
the General most positively. Pierre Dufour
had never given his heart to but one woman,
and he had never trifed with any The wo-
man beloved was far away, and did not love
him sufficiently we'll to give up her comfort
and ease, and voluntarily take upon herself
the hardships and trials of a hospital nurse.
1t was useless to try to solve the riddle, and
he gave it up in despair.
In three weeks more the surgeon told Gen
eral Dufour tina. he might return to France
ten to the signora several times during his
conyalescence and her replies had come to
him regularly. She rejoiced 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 impossibility. She
hoped he would soon be well enough to re-
turn to France, for she longed to see so true
friend as she believed him to be. But not
| word Of love did the letters contain. They
were written quietly-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 tenderness his heart so fierce
ly craved.
Yet he was not discouraged. He had made
up his mind to win the beautiful signora for
his wife, and he was not a man to fail in mat
tiers upon which he had set his heart.
| When he was pronounced well enough to
travel, he lost no time in making his arrange
ments, 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 hours after 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
getting back her strength. She made him
tell her everything that concerned 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: 81
wonder who she was Some one that loves
you very much, suppose"
He started as she spoke. He held her
hand in his, and his eyes were fixed upon it,
while happy smile stole over his face.
ayes, I believe so now" he said, earnestly
ssIt was some one that I loved very dearly,
and believe now that she loved me then,
and loves me STILL Do I err, dear Sister
Theresa 2"
There were tears in his eyes as he spoke
but he smiled happily, and pointed to the
missing ring, which now glittered on the
signora's hand. do not know her exact
answer to his question, but do know that il
satisfied him, and that she told him she loved
him well enough to marry him.
II loved you" she said, tenderly, "wher
you went away, only did not know it. But
when I though of the danger to which you
were daily exposed, saw how dear to me
you were, and for your sake | determined tf
do my duty to my country. | disguised my
self as Sister of Mercy, aided by the supe
rior of the Order here, who is my friend, ane
went to Milan to nurse the wounded L Wa
happy in being there, as was near to you
When you were wounded and brought to MI
Ian, I asked permission to nurse you because
l loved you. would have given my lite t
save YOU, and Heaven blessed my efforts ant
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 al
I could not tell YOU. / took with me the rins