“There was nothing to thank for. I was only undoing what another woman had done long ago. That’s one of the glad things about nursing; we so often have a chance at just that sort of thing—the chance to make up for some of the blind mistakes in life. Good-by. I’m late now.” “But—but—” Peter held frantically to the hand. “’Pon my soul, I can’t let you go[Pg 36] until—until—” He broke off, crimsoning again. “Promise a time when you will come back—just a minute I can count on and look forward to. Please!” [Pg 36] “All right—I’ll be back at four—just for a minute.” It happened, however, that Miss Jacobs—pink-cheeked, auburn-haired, green-eyed little Miss Jacobs, the first nurse on Peter’s case, blew into No. 3 a few minutes before four. She had developed the habit of blowing in at least once in the day and telling Peter how perfectly splendid it was to see him getting along so well. But as he did not happen to look quite so well this time, she condoled and wormed the reason out of Peter. “Leerie off duty! Don’t you think it’s rather remarkable they let her stay so long? Of course the management, as a rule, doesn’t let her have cases of—of this kind. A girl who’s been sent away on account of—of—questionable conduct isn’t exactly safe to trust. Don’t you think so? And the San can’t afford to risk its reputation.” For an instant the green eyes shimmered and glistened balefully, while she tossed her auburn[Pg 37] curls coyly at Peter. “It’s really too bad, for she’s a wonderful surgical nurse. All the best surgeons want her on their cases. That’s why they put her on with you; that’s really why they let her come back at all.” [Pg 37] A look in Peter’s eyes stopped her and made her look back over her shoulder. Sheila O’Leary stood in the open doorway. For an instant the perpetual assurance of Miss Jacobs was shaken, but only for an instant. She smiled tolerantly. “Hello, Leerie! I’ve been telling Mr. Brooks what a wonderful surgical nurse you are.” The gray eyes of the girl in the doorway looked steadily into the green eyes of the girl by the bed. “Thank you, Coppy, I heard you.” And she stepped aside to let the other pass out. “Well?” she asked when the two were alone. “Well!” answered Peter, emphatically. “Everything is very, very well. Do you know,” and he smiled up at her like a happy
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