guessed instantly what had
excited her. He anathematized himself for putting the paper where she
could get at it; for without doubt Mrs. Stanton would want to tell the
great news herself. She must not be defrauded of the pleasure, for she
would certainly make a point of getting back for a "look at the patient"
to-day or to-morrow. If to-day, she might appear at any minute, for a P.
& O. boat-train had arrived at Cairo late the night before, Doctor
Taylor had heard, and it was now nine-thirty in the morning--not too
early to expect her.

Nurse Yorke must not blurt out the tidings in her common way! But how to
stop her without arousing St. George's curiosity?

"Oh, I suppose you've got hold of the advertisement of that sale I told
you of," he said, glaring over the top of Max's head.

"Why! I've found----" the nurse began briskly, but withered under Doctor
Taylor's forbidding gaze.

"I knew nothing else could have excited you so much," he went on
masterfully, still hypnotizing her with his eyes, until even a duller
woman would have grasped his meaning. But maybe he wanted to read out
the news himself? Nurse Yorke handed him the paper.

"Perhaps Mr. St. George will be interested in the advertisement of this
sale," she suggested, with a coy emphasis which made Doctor Taylor want
to smother the well-meaning creature with a pillow.

"We'll let Mrs. Stanton read it to him when she comes," he said
waspishly; and at that moment Mrs. Stanton came.

They both knew her knock, and Nurse Yorke flew to open the door.

She had a smile and a word for them, and then went straight to Max. "How
splendid! You're sitting up," she said. "This is worth travelling fast
for, if there were nothing else. But there is. There's something next
best to your getting well." Then she caught sight of the open paper in
the nurse's hand. "Have you--has any one been telling you--or reading
you to-day's news?" she asked, breathless.

"Nurse Yorke was just beginning to read something about a sale, I
think," Max answered, hardly knowing what he said because his eyes were
upon her--this girl of girls, this pearl of pearls, whom honour was
forcing him to give up, and at the same time bidding him to keep. He
thought that he had never seen her so lovely as to-day, in the simple
travelling dress and hat all of black, yet not mourning. There was a
look of heaven in her eyes, and they seemed to say that this heaven was
for him. Could he refuse it? He gave h