Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-03-07

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the wall outside. This brought tn
house surgeon to her in a few mir
utes.
4 aCome," said he cherrily, nodding u
the patient, this is well; you are to b
congratulated, nurse. Our patient i
getting on, eh eh ?"
He said "eh ?" good many times il
a pondering fashion, and then too
the nurse aside and whispered to he
in quite confidential manner. AS h.
did so it occurred to Sir Rawdon, il
n feeble, inconsistent way not to b,
accounted for, that he hated the hous
surgeon Nurse, he had called her
With that face-a nurse! OF cours
she wasn't a lady, poor thing; but witt
those little, white slender hands to b
"a nurse i And with that charmin,
figure and that high-bred--"No, nc
thanks, old man, nothing more. Se'
you by an by at Lady Stanhope's
Look out, Alys; those bull-terriers ar,
often treacherous--"a and so on, agair
falling into the old delirious state ant
babbling ever of this Alys, whose nam,
had been so frequently on his lips al
through his illness.
The nurse was at his side again di
! rectly.
"You must expect these little re
lapses for awhile" said the surgeon
with encouragement, patting her kind
ly on the shoulder.
Then there came week when he
felt much stronger, and could lie con
tentedly gazing at his nurse with GER
tain recognition in his eyes, and nc
fear of its slipping away from him.
"When may l go?" he asked hel
suddenly one morning, when she was
giving him his breakfast His ques.
ton was somewhat ungraciously put
He was, indeed, a little querulous al
times; but she, accustomed to the va
garles of sick people, didn't appear to
mind it.
"Not for short while yet" she said
She spoke to him with the intonation
one might use to fractions child, and
with a lenient smile, "Are you tired OF
us already p
"Not tired of you-no.'
@But you want to get back to the
other life? OF course it is only natu-
ral" Did faint, faint sigh escape her
here? "Your friends want to get you
back there too"
at is hardly that" said he quickly.
at is more-that / want to feel mrself
myself again. A man!-I am sick of
coddling, and physic, and 80 forth"
This, too, was ungracious, and he
knew 1t when the words had passed
his lips. He glanced at her furtively.
to see if he had offended her; and
though he would have been miserable
had he succeeded in paining her, he
was still angrily disconcerted at find
ing she had taken no heed whatsoever
of his petulance.
at is a matter of indifference to her
whether l am pleased or the reverse,
he said to himself, with frown.
Il am afraid you must be content
with us for week or two longer" she
said brightly. "But that should not be
so great hardship to you. In your
present state, how could you be better
of there than here?"
She was looking frankly into his
eyes, and the beauty of her expression
killed his small touch OF rancor.
Il DS NOIcG
flushing warmly: | should be without
my nurse"
mo; we supply nurses to private
cases. You would probably have had
one in your own home as good as |
am," returned she calmly.
"Still, it wouldn't be you," said he.
Then, ado you like the life here ?"
"Yes."
There was as much No as Yes in
this answer, and it puzzled him.
at is hard life" he said.
Most lives are hard" returned she
sententiously.
This checked him for a time, but
the demon of curiosity having made
him his prey, he was compelled to go
on again.
"What is your name ?" he asked.
Nurse Eva"
al know that. shall never"-grate-
ully-"f forget that. But your other
name, | mean"
1t had tormented him inconceivably
in his sick moments to think it might
be Smith or Jones.
There was short but eloquent
pause. When 1t had gone by she turn
ed and looked him fairly in the face.
"I have no other name," she said
cily.
She got up from her seat and moved
toward the window.
"I beg your pardon, I'm sure" ex-
claimed he, ,horror-stricken with shame
1t his mistake 81 assure you [ didn't |
mean til"
''If you excite yourself you will have
, relapse, and not be able to seave us
even as soon as / have said" interrupt
I'd she, with increasing coldness.
Think of the misery of that, and COM
pose yourself"
A suspicion of scorn in her manner |
checked further speech on his part.
He turned ON his side and feigned |
lumber. But he could not get her |
ace out of his thoughts. That last |
title touch of hauteur had become her.
Strange to say-for one in her class
t had suited her, and seemed to be-
ong to her of right What brute
he was to ask her such question!
surely she had right to her own
ecrets; and yet-yet he wished now
Ter name had been honest Jones or
smith, and that she had been able to
ay SO.
But he had angered her, and could
lot sleep without her forgiveness. He
vas still so weak that sleep at all times
vas essential to him.
Nurse" he said presently, in tone
hat reminded him of the days when
e was a schoolboy and in disgrace.
"Well ?" said she.
"Tm very sorry | said that" mum
lied Sir Rawdon from beneath the
"it was abominable OF
ne."
He had now evidently come to the
oint when good sound Gaming was
to be expected.
"You want me to say forgive you"
aid Nurse Eva softly, coming up to
i'm again and looking down upon
i'm. "Very good say it. Now go
o Sleep"
"You don't look as if you forgave,"
rotested he anxiously. IF you could
My know what feel about it You
aust think me so contemptible-and
on 80 kind to me, and"
"If that is all, be comforted. | do
OF think you contemplate" returned
he; and even as she spoke a sweet
oft smile overspread her lovely face,
llling like Il healing sunbeam on the
epentant invalid. With Il sigh of re-
eff he closed his eyes, and sunk into
efreshing slumber. II
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