The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-07-22
NURSE EVA.



Sir Rawdon languidly There was no lam
guor, however, In the deep anxiety of his
eyes. II don't think feel so well as | did
yesterday"
"Eh? what? Poufl nonsense, my dear slfp'
said The surgeon gnyly. "lnvalld's trcmors,
nothing more. tell you. you are getting
out of our hands more hopefully every mo-
mcnt We shall be- ashamed To prescribe for
you soon"
Perhaps If my going were to he postponed
until"
Not at all-nothing Of the kind The very
change will do you good" said the surgeon
chccrily. Come, come nOw-spcak 10 him,
nurse"
"Bnt surprising should have q relapse
that would De- unpleasant" said this remark
ably careful young man.
"Eh2 How Is this nursc2" said the sur
geon somewhat pcrplcxcd by his patients
pcrtinacity.
As he appeared TO her, Sir Rawdon raised
himself slightly on his elbow, and appealed
to her tOO-wth his dark eyes. Her glance
passing from the surgeons face 20 his, rested
there for moment There was entreaty,
longing hope, and something far more than
all these In his gaze. She turned away from
1t slowly, but rcsolutcly.
"rhcrc will be no fear of relapse" she
said to the surgeon, In cold measured tones,
her eyes bent upon the ground at is better,
far better he should go to-day, as arranged"
A swift change altered the expression of
Sir RawdOn's face. Whereas before II was
almost humbly implorlng, II was now proud
and stern.
To-day, then, be II, by all means" he
said, in decided tone. 1.-THE sooner the bet
ter;" after which he sank back with an an
cry jerk upon his pillow.
The surgeon laughed little and present
ly went away. The nurse busted herself In
tidying the already scrupulously tidy room.
"In what mad haste you are to get rid Of
mel" said Sir Rawdon at last, finding the ST.
lcnce unbcarable. How cold, how calm, how
unfeeling she appeared with that beautiful
unreadable face of hers
"YOu see have your interests at heart"
she said.
"MineY"
ayes. Do you forget how you were pin
ing for your freedom only short two weeks
ago? Now II lies before you"
you are ungenerous," he said. Then more
slowly; "a fortnight is long time. One
may learn many things In It,"
"rrue. You have learned To get WELL"
said she quietly
"More than thatp lie flushed dark red,
ed besides To-"
lie paused with terrible, unmstakable
suddenness. The color died from his face,
and quick pallor succeeded 1t. Ills very
lips grew white because Of the severity of
his mental struggle. What was II he had
been about 10 dop To tell this namccss girl
this worse than nnnclcss girl, who VAS
ashamed TO declare aloud her honest appel
latiOn-that he loved hcrl 70 ask her 10 be
his wlfcl lie, n Dare, and the head Of his
housed His hand sank once more 10 his side,
he brcathcd heavily, and ut length, without
looking at her, turned his face away from
her To the wall. Here bitter strife took
place between his heart and him, but when
Il was ended his heart remained the victor,
and he reused himself, and looked round for
her.
OF her, however, he found the room empty.
During that short but violent battle with
prudence and affection, IN which prudence
had been slain, she had lett him-had van
ished, as 1t were. In her chair sat n proba-
TONER, young woman with pale eyes and
snub nose, and generally afflicted air. lie
had seen this prOba,iOncr before, and
had amused himself ut odd moments count
Ing the number of nspirdtes she could drop
In half an hour. She spoke with little
shuttle In her throat, and was otherwise in
many ways most hateful 10 him.
Now, the knowledge that Nurse Eva was
never absent from him for longer than thirty
minutes at time became an Intense consola-
ton TO him. She would soon be here, and
that odlons young woman would vacate her
chair, In which II seemed a positive sacrilege
that she should be allowed To SIT, But the
minutes crcpt ON, and the hali-hour grew IN
to am hour, and the hour into two, and stu
the probatlOner sal on, and Nurse Eva made
| no sign.
The dragging hours were at frs. bore to
him, and at length became lntOlcriblc. And
| when the probatiOncr rose, and declared II
was time for him to rise, as the carriage
would soon be here, and when nurse from
another ward came to assist her, he was al
most rude to them both.
But time was ilcX0rable and wore away,
and at last the carriage was announced, and
two or three of his friends and relations
came In to congratulate him and help him
down to IT, The house surgeon was present
also, looking really pleased at his recovery.
To him Sir Rawdon turned with somewhat
hurried air, and amount Of passionate anxiety
he vainly tried to conceal.
"Where Is Nurse Evap" he said, his voice
trembling slightly ~ cannot go until bid
her goodbye, and thank her-thank her
for"
lie stopped, and cleared his throat huskily.
"Pm afraid you can't sec her to-day" said
the surgeon, checrfully. "She has been
somewhat overworked OF late, you see; so
when she asked the matron,a couple of hours
ago, to give her holiday to run down TO
| a