that which I had promised Ronnie to keep entirely to myself.

Nurse Agnes we all called her, but I for one hardly saw her again, save
on the daily constitutional in grey uniform and flowing veil. The fact
was that the improvement in Ronnie was so marked, and so splendidly
sustained, that both his father and I were able to get to bed again. The
boy himself had capital nights, and said he looked forward to them; on
the other hand, for final sign of approaching convalescence, he became
just a little difficult by day. Altogether it was no surprise to me to
learn that two nurses would not be necessary after the second week; but
I was sorry to hear it was Nurse Agnes who was going, and I thought that
Uvo Delavoye would be sorrier still.

There was something between them. I felt sure of that. His rushing up
to town to fetch her down, the absurd grounds on which he had pretended
to justify that officious proceeding, and then his candid enthusiasm
next day, when his protege had shown her quality, all these were
suspicious circumstances in themselves. Yet by themselves, at such a
time, they might easily have escaped one's attention. It was a more than
suspicious circumstance that brought the whole train home to me.

I was getting my exercise one mid-day when there was nothing doing;
suddenly I saw Nurse Agnes ahead of me getting hers. Her thin veil flew
about her as she stepped out briskly, but I was walking quicker still;
in any case I must overtake her, and it was a chance of hearing more
good news of Ronnie; for we never saw anything of her at night, except
in firelit glimpses through the sick-room door. Evidently these were not
enough for Uvo either; presently I espied him sauntering ahead, and when
Nurse Agnes overtook him, instead of my overtaking her, he hardly took
the trouble to lift his hat. But they walked on together at a pace
between his and hers, while I waited in a gateway before turning back.

So that was it! I was delighted for Uvo's sake; I tried to feel
delighted altogether. At any rate he had chosen a wonderful nurse, but
really I had seen so little of the girl ... if that was the word for
her. In the apparent absence of other objections, I was prepared for a
distinct grievance on the score of age.

However, she was going. That was something, and Uvo did not seem
particularly cut up about it after all. But he brought the cab for her
himself when the time came; he did not come in; but I saw him through
th