w I and my young man have fallen out. He does not
even know I am here."

Garth unbent at once, and again that boyish heightening of colour
indicated his sense of shame at what he had imagined.

"Ah, Miss Gray," he said eagerly, "you will not think it impertinent or
intrusive on my part, but do you know I have wondered sometimes whether
there was a happy man."

Nurse Rosemary laughed. "Well, we can't call him a happy man just now,"
she said, "so far as his thoughts of me are concerned. My whole heart
is his, if he could only be brought to believe it. But a
misunderstanding has grown up between us,--my fault entirely,--and he
will not allow me to put it right."

"What a fool!" cried Garth. "Are you and he engaged?"

Nurse Rosemary hesitated. "Well--not exactly engaged," she said,
"though it practically amounts to that. Neither of us would give a
thought to any one else."

Garth knew there was a class of people whose preliminary step to
marriage was called "keeping company," a stage above the housemaid's
"walking out," both expressions being exactly descriptive of the
circumstances of the case; for, whereas pretty Phyllis and her swain go
walking out of an evening in byways and between hedges, or along
pavements and into the parks,--these keep each other company in the
parlours and arbours of their respective friends and relations. Yet,
somehow, Garth had never thought of Nurse Rosemary as belonging to any
other class than his own. Perhaps this ass of a fellow, whom he already
cordially disliked, came of a lower stratum; or perhaps the rules of
her nursing guild forbade a definite engagement, but allowed "an
understanding." Anyway the fact remained that the kind-hearted, clever,
delightful little lady, who had done so much for him, had "a young man"
of her own; and this admitted fact lifted a weight from Garth's mind.
He had been so afraid lately of not being quite honest with her and
with himself. She had become so necessary to him, nay, so essential,
and by her skill and devotion had won so deep a place in his gratitude.
Their relation was of so intimate a nature, their companionship so
close and continuous; and into this rather ideal state of things had
heavily trodden Dr. Rob the other day with a suggestion. Garth, alone
with him, bad been explaining how indispensable Miss Gray had become to
his happiness and comfort, and how much he dreaded a recall from her
matron.

"I fear they do not let them go on indefin