Sacramento daily record-union., 1889-09-07
her vigil was at an end, and she crept
noiselessly from the room.
CHAPTER ".

Next day Patience had sickened with
smallpox, and Mrs. Abbott hastily mi
grated to Graham's bugalow to nurse her
1t was a sharp attack, but the little
woman weathered il bravely, thanks to
her naturally wiry constitution and her
friends careful nursing. When she was
able to sit up in bed she asked for look
ing glass, trembling exceedingly lest one
more trial might be in store for her in the
! disbursement of her POOR little face, at no
time of more than passable comeliness.
Was it wrong of her to thank God for hav-
ing spared her this further affliction? 1t
meant so much to one Of her shrinking
disposition, whose path through life would
have become even harder had she believed
herself to be repulsive object as well as
stupid, dull, awkward and unwelcome.
And she had dreaded-for was she not a
woman ?-the painful impression which
her countenance, blurred and altered,
would have produced upon her hero's
mind, kindly as he would have striven to
conceal the fact.
When she was considered out of quar-
antine Graham came to see her, and her
shyness in receiving him was much tenn
pered with gentle sympathy, for she had
| shared his sorrow with him, and no longer
felt herself on different platform. He
did not ailude to his loss, but kept the
conversation on everyday subjects. never
permitting it TO flag, and drawing out his
companions ideas with so much tact that
she forgot to be nervous, and delighted
him with her quaint sayings and simple
lnworldly wisdom. Now Graham had
just heard the true story of Patience Owen
from Mrs Abbott, and pitied her sincerely,
though he could not rid his mind OF the
notion that a girl who allowed herself,
without a word of protest, to be put in the
undigniied position of candidate for
marriage with a total stranger would
hardly have the strength of character 10
steer a straight course through iiinHe-speak-
ing the truth and shaming the deyil-and
f., so he proposed to himself to put her to
the Ten, with the idea that if she came
through Il Il ll;umphantly he would con-
slider the advisabinssv of asking her to be
his wife. Therefore, when at length
pause occurred in their conversh,, ion Gra-
ham, instead of rising to go, sudden, re-
sumed his serious manner, and remarked,
1--WE are friends, Miss Owen, are we not?'
"Yes," faltered Patience, all at once
grown shy
"And friends will not fall out for a
trife?'
No, indeed" she answered 81 have so
few that l could not afford that"
"Then, will you tell me what brought
you out 20 Pagiri ?"
Poor Patience blushed painfully, twisted
her fingers in her pockethandkerchief, and
showed every sign of distress.
I.r4 L \.
me-" she said hurriedly ard with down.
cast eyes, "dnd came out tomarry one Of
the missionaries. No one would have
me, so Mrs. Abbott took me 20 live with
her"
What it cost her to make such confess
sion Graham dimly guessed. He hated
himself for his cruelty, and great wave
of compassion for the poor, foTlorn girl
swept through his heart-compassion min
gled with admiration for her courage.
" Forgive me-" he said. Poor child,
there is great deal OF happiness owing to
you. Do you think l could make your life
brighter? Patience, will you let me try?"
But before she could answer him Mrs. Alb
bott had hustled into the room.
CHAPTER Y.
The Directors at Pamba telegraphed fer
Graham once more on the day following
his visit to Patience, and she made up her
mind that on his return week later he
should not find her at Pagiri. He shall
not marry me out of pity" she said to her
self. He cannot possibly love me, and
without his love / could not be his wife.
1t would break my heart So with a
good deal of difficulty she persuaded Mrs
Abbott that she had centereG all her hopes
on becoming hospital nurse, begging her
to use her influence with the matron Of the
great hospital at Khansal so that she
might be taken on at once as probationer
The day before Graham returned to Pagiri
Patience had left, and as she was being de-
posted twenty-four hours later with her
modest luggage at the gates of the hos
pital, tired out and heartsick, now that the
excitement of her fight was passed, Ora
ham was crossing the bit of waste land
which lay between his own bungalow and
the Abbotts, turning over in his own mind
as he walked what he should say to Pa
tience if only Mrs Abbott would give him
chance Of seeing her alone
His surprise was great when he heard of
her departure, and that night he smoked
in stony silence" for all the world like
deaf-mute," Mrs. Abbott complained when
he had gone. Next day, after making
arrangements so that his work should not
suffer during his absence, he gave himself
torty-eight hours leave, and took the train
for Khansal
Patience had been given a days rest af-
ter her journey, but on the second day she
had begun her training, and In the old
gray linen gown, large white apron and
mob-cap, she had been all day long receiv-
ing instruction in her future duties. The
sights wich she saw made her seriously
doubt her suitability for the profession she
had chosen, and from standing about for so
many hours she was ready to faint with
fatigue. She could not eat, and felt lonely
and weary to the very last degree At I
o'clock she was free and on her way to her
own little cubicle, where she hoped to lie
down for an hour before supper, but she
was stopped by message from the matron
to the effect that there was visitor for
Miss Owep-not yet metamorphosed into
Sister Patience-and would she "step
down" into the dining hall? Wonder
ingly she obeyed the summons thinking,
as she went down the long fight of stairs,
how fatiguing it would be to "step up
again.
The long cool dining-room was very
dark, and she was not at first quite sure
that it was John Graham who stood before
her. But when he held out his hand. say
ing: Patience, why did you run away
from Pagiri, when you knew / had some.
thing to say to your she felt all that his
presence at Khansal meant She tried to
speak so as to answer his question, or at
least to ask him how he did, but no words
would come. And when he saw the tired
white face, and felt how her hand trembled,
he did not press for reply, but led her to
sofa and sat down beside her. ~ have
come to fetch you home, DEAR" he said.
you are not strong enough for the work
here and | want Won very much n-The