aughter and even
some clapping of hands.

Ward Sister Allworthy entered with the house doctor.

"What's the meaning of this?" she demanded. Glory told the truth, and was
reproved.

"Who has loosened this bandage?" said the doctor. The patient tried to
prevaricate, but Glory told the truth again, and was reproved once more.

"And who permitted this woman to come into the ward?" said the nurse.

"I did," said Glory.

"You're not fit to be a nurse, miss, and I shall certainly report you as
unfit for duty."

Glory laughed in the Sister's face.

It was at this moment that John Storm arrived after his interview with
the canon. He drew Glory into the corridor and tried to pacify her.

"Oh, don't suppose I'm going to do hospital nursing all my life," she
said. "It may be good womanly work, but I want to be a human being with a
heart, and not a machine called Duty. How I hate and despise my
surroundings! I'll make an end of them one of these days. Sooner or later
it must come to that."

"Your life has been deranged, Glory, and that is why you disdain your
surroundings. You were at the theatre last night."

"Who told you that? Well, what of it? Are you one of those who think the
theatre----"

"I don't object to the theatre, Glory. It is the derangement of your life
I am thinking of; and if anybody is responsible for that he is your
enemy, not your friend."

"You will make me angry again, as you did before," and she began to bite
her quivering lip.

"I did not come to make you angry, Glory. I came to ask you--even to
entreat you--to break off this hateful connection."

"Because you know nothing of this--this connection, as you say--you call
it hateful."

"I know what I am talking about, my child. The life these men live is
worse than hateful; and it makes my heart bleed to see you falling a
victim to it."

"You are degrading me again; you are always degrading me. Other men try
to be agreeable to me, but you---- Besides, I can not hear my friends
abused. Yes, they _are_ my friends. I _was_ at the theatre with them last
night, and I am going to take tea at their chambers on my next holiday.
So please----"

"Glory!"

With one plunge of his arm he had gripped her by the wrist.

"You are hurting me."

"You are never to set foot in the rooms of those men!"

"Let me go!"

"You are as inexperienced as a child, Glory, and it is my duty to protect
you against yourself."

"Let go, I say!"

"Don't destroy y