rule which forbids
favoritism--I noticed that you stayed longer than was necessary with No.
47."

"She complained a good deal of her back, Sister, and I was arranging her
pillows for her."

"Don't try to deceive me," said Sister Kate. "You know perfectly well
that you did not spend all that time arranging a pillow. Now, go and
help to bring up the teas."

Effie turned to her duties with a tingling sensation in her eyes.

It was the first time since her arrival at St. Joseph's that her work
seemed almost impossible to her. Her heart quite ached with longing to
know what Lawson had meant. What had he to tell her about George? As she
thought, her fears grew greater and her memory of the hospital rules
less and less.

She determined at any risk to try and see Lawson that evening. It would
be impossible for her to venture down into the central hall of the
hospital, but she knew for certain that he would come into the ward
again late that evening.

Sister Kate would be off duty at nine o'clock, and Sister Alice, the
night superintendent, was not nearly so strict. Effie hovered about near
the door; she knew she was disobeying rules, for she ought to have gone
to bed soon after nine o'clock. No one noticed her, however. The night
nurses were all busy taking up their different duties, and Sister Alice
was talking to the house physician at the farther end of the ward.

Suddenly Effie, standing near one of the doors, saw Lawson coming
upstairs; she ran to him without a moment's hesitation. "What have you
to tell me about George?" she said.

He colored, and looked almost annoyed when she spoke to him.

"I cannot tell you here," he said in a hasty voice. "Are you going home
next Sunday?"

"No; it's my Sunday in--unless I could get one of the other probationers
to change with me."

"I wish you would manage to do that; I really want to see you very
badly. If you'll go home on Sunday, I'll call in the course of the
afternoon, and then I can walk back with you to the hospital. Now, go at
once--you must not be seen talking to me."

Effie flew down the corridor to her own little room.

That night she could scarcely sleep; she felt oppressed with all kinds
of forebodings. The idea of her having broken one of the rules, and, in
fact, laid herself open to dismissal, never once entered into her head.

She was still the faithful nurse--the earnest-minded, gentle, good girl,
who would give up her whole life to the alleviation