n impression of gum somewhere--an insinuating certainty that
she might chew gum on a dark night when no one was looking. Desire
heaved a little sigh of satisfaction and, leaning out, appeared to
occupy herself with the passers-by.

"Aren't Bainbridge streets wonderful?" she said.

Nurse Watkins' mouth took on a discontented droop. "The streets are all
right," she said, "only they don't go anywhere."

Desire laughed. "Are you as bored as that?" she asked.

"Worse. I wouldn't stay here a minute if it weren't--I mean, if I
hadn't been advised to rest up a bit."

Desire looked at her watch, and rose. Now that her curiosity had been
amply satisfied, she began to realize that curiosity is an undignified
thing. And also that she had not been the only person present to give
way to it.

The somewhat drawling tones of Miss Watkins' voice were not at all in
keeping with the activity of her wide-awake blue eyes. A sense of this
nurse's speculation as to her presence there flicked Desire with little
whips of irritation. It is one thing to observe and quite another to
render oneself observable. She felt the blood flow hotly to her cheek.
Why had she come? How could she have so far forgotten her natural
reserve, her instinctive dislike of intrusion? Desire saw plainly that
she had allowed a regrettable sentiment to trick her into a ridiculous
situation. Satisfied curiosity is usually ashamed of itself.

And how absurd to have fancied for a moment that this blond prettiness
could be Mary!

"I am afraid I cannot wait longer," she murmured with polite regret.

"If there is any message--"

"None, I think. Thank you so much."

With the departure of her caller, Miss Watkins' manner underwent a
remarkable change. Professional coolness deserted her. She stamped her
foot and, from the safe concealment of the window curtain, she watched
Desire's unhurried progress down the street with eyes in which the blue
grew clouded and opaque. They brightened again as she noticed Professor
Spence passing on the opposite side of the street, and became quite
snappy with interest as she saw him pause as if to call to his wife,
then, after a swift and hesitating glance at the door from which she
had emerged, pass on without attracting her attention.

As a bit of pure pantomime, these expressions of feeling on Miss
Watkins' part might be misleading with-out the added comment of a
letter which she wrote that night.

"I'm going to cut it, Flossy