ch, as she caught the sister's
hand.

"No; the danger is past, but he must be kept quiet. Say good-night."

Janet bent down and kissed her brother lovingly; and as she drew back
from his pallid drawn face, Rich took her place and held out her hand.

Mark caught it in both his, and there was an agonised look in his eyes.

"Rich," he whispered passionately, "I have come back to you a beggar,
after fighting so hard. Heaven knows how hard, and what I am suffering
for your sake. I cannot tell you more. I only say, believe in me and
trust in me. Kiss me, my love--my love."

Richmond Chartley's pale face deepened, but she did not hesitate. There
were patients here and there who lay witnessing the scene, and there
were others present; but at that moment the world seemed very small, and
they two the only living creatures it contained, as she bent down,
passed her arm beneath his neck, and for the first time her lips met
his.

"Rich--poor--what does it matter, Mark?" she whispered, with her warm
breath seeming to caress his cheek. "You have come back to me, as it
were, from the dead."

She drew down her veil as she rose from the parting, and the nurse's
quick experienced eyes noted the restful happy look that had come over
her patient's face.

"Good-bye," she said to the two visitors. "May I?"

Rich leaned forward, and the two women kissed.

"I had some one once whom I dearly loved. It pleased God that he should
die--for his country--trying to save a brother officer's life.
Good-bye, dear. You are the best physician for him now. Come back
soon."

Janet impulsively threw her arms about the sister's neck and kissed her.

"And I never thanked you for your care of my poor brother," she said.
"But tell me, he is still a little wandering, is he not?"

"I could not help hearing all that passed," was the reply. "It was my
duty to be present. I have, of course, had some experience of such
cases, and I fear that he must have been drinking heavily in riotous
company, and these ideas have become impressed upon his brain."

"And they are fancies?"

"I think so, but as he grows stronger these ideas will weaken, and you,
his sister--and you--Ah, men are sometimes very weak, but to whom should
they come for forgiveness when weak and repentant, if not to us?"

"But I won't believe my Mark has been going on as she hinted," said
Janet, through her tears, as she walked away, weeping bitterly, and
clinging tightly to