nced at her hand
which still bore the traces of a healed scar. Celia noticed her
examining the slender, uplifted hand, and said:

"You promised to tell me how you got that scar, Honey-bud."

"I will, now--because the man who caused it has gone North."

"A--man!"

"Yes, poor fellow. When the dressings were changed the agony
crazed him and he sometimes bit me. I used to be so annoyed," she
added mildly, "and I used to shake my forefinger at him and say,
'Now it's got to be done, Jones; will you promise not to bite me.'
And the poor fellow would promise with tears in his eyes--and then
he'd forget--poor boy----"

"I'd have slapped him," said Celia, indignantly. "What a darling
you are, Ailsa! . . . Now bundle into bed," she added, "because
you haven't any too much time to sleep, and poor little Letty
Lynden will be half dead when she comes off duty."

Letty really appeared to be half dead when she arrived, and bent
wearily over the bed where Ailsa now lay in calm-breathing, rosy
slumber.

"Oh, you sweet thing!" she murmured to herself, "you can sleep for
two hours yet, but you don't know it." And, dropping her garments
from her, one by one, she bathed and did up her hair and crept in
beside Ailsa very softly, careful not to arouse her.

But Ailsa, who slept lightly, awoke, turned on her pillow, passed
one arm around Letty's dark curls.

"I'll get up," she said drowsily. "Why didn't Flannery call me?"

"You can sleep for an hour or two yet, darling," cooed Letty,
nestling close to her. "Mrs. Craig has taken old Bill Symonds, and
they'll be on duty for two hours more."

"How generous of Celia--and of old Symonds, too. Everybody seems
to be so good to me here."

"Everybody adores you, dear," whispered Letty, her lips against
Ailsa's flushed cheek. "Don't you know it?"

Ailsa laughed; and the laugh completed her awakening past all hope
of further slumber.

"You quaint little thing," she said, looking at Letty. "You
certainly are the most engaging girl I ever knew."

Letty merely lay and looked her adoration, her soft cheek pillowed
on Ailsa's arm. Presently she said:

"Do you remember the first word you ever spoke to me?"

"Yes, I do."

"And--you asked me to come and see you."

"Who wouldn't ask you--little rosebud?"

But Letty only sighed and closed her eyes; nor did she awaken when
Ailsa cautiously withdrew her arm and slipped out of bed.

She still had an hour and more; she decided