satisfaction--the triumph of life over death--and he stood with one hand
resting on the back of the couch, the other upon his left hip, as he
bent over his patient, whose breath came softly, and there was a restful
look in the thin white face.

Then he started round, for there was a light touch upon his arm, and he
was face to face with Marion once more, her head bent forward, her wild
eyes searching his.

"Is--is it true?" she whispered excitedly. "She told me as she went
out--you did not speak."

"Yes; quite true," cried Chester. "No wonder, poor fellow, that he made
no advance. But there, we have won, and a day or two's nursing will be
all he wants. Now you can feel at rest."

"Feel--at rest?"

"Of course; there is no disease. Weakness is the only trouble now."

"Weakness the only trouble now! Rob--Rob--my own dear boy!"

She sank upon her knees, and as he saw her action, Chester tried to
check her. But she gave him a reproachful glance, and passed her soft
white arms about the patient's head, but without touching him; and the
loving kiss she breathed, as it were, upon his lips. Then she rose,
sobbing gently, with all the strength of her mind and force of action
seeming to have passed away, as with outstretched hands she caught at
the nearest object to save herself from falling.

That nearest object was Chester; and the next moment she was weeping in
his arms.

"You have given him back to me," she sobbed, her voice little above a
whisper. "You have saved him. How can I ever repay you for what you
have done?"

The minute before he had been strong; now as he felt the sobs rising
from the labouring breast, and clasped her throbbing, palpitating form
closer and--closer,--"Marion!"

Her name--nothing more; but he felt her tremble in his arms and hang
more heavily as her head sank slowly back, bringing her lips nearer his;
and the next moment she uttered a low sigh, breathed in their lengthened
kiss.

"Out of what comedy is this, doctor?" said a harsh, familiar voice; and
as they started angrily apart, Jem, as they called him, advanced quickly
from the silently opened door, straight towards Marion, upon whom he
fixed his fierce eyes, as he spoke to her companion. "French, I
suppose--a translation. I congratulate you, doctor--both of you. It
was so real--so passionately grand. And you," he literally hissed now,
"most loving sister! _Pour passer le temps_, of course. The _ennui_ of
long nursin