ed herself.

Then, suddenly, she knew. It was Earl Usher, and he loved her,
Winifred, who could never be more to him than a friend.

Win had heard of a "vicious circle." It seemed that she and Sadie and
Ursus were travelling in one, going round and round, and could never
get out.

"But I must go down," the mechanical part of herself kept repeating.

She had involuntarily paused near the door to think things out in
peace. There were no patients for the two narrow white beds, and the
nurse--a small, nervous woman with sentimental eyes--was heating water
over a spirit lamp. She suffered from headache and had prescribed
herself some tea. The water had begun to boil, and despite the
throbbing in her temples she hummed monotonously: "You Made Me Love
You."

Winifred heard the tune through her thoughts of Sadie and Earl Usher,
and it seemed to make everything sadder and more hopeless. But
suddenly the singing broke off--the thin voice rose to a shriek, and
was lost in a loud explosion.

In the act of going out Win turned, bewildered and expecting horror.
Head down, her hands covering her burned face, the nurse came
staggering toward the door. Hair and cap were on fire. All over the
white dress and apron were dotted little blue tongues of flame that
had spouted out from the bursting lamp.

Often such an accident had been lightly prophesied by this very woman.
The spirit sent up for the hospital was of the cheapest. Peter Rolls
was "not in business for his health!"

Dazed by the deafening noise, and shocked to the very heart by the
woman's shriek of pain, Win was not conscious of thought. She did not
tell herself to spring to the nearest bed, tear off the covering,
stop the nurse before she could rush wildly into the corridor, and
wrap her in the blanket. All she knew for a moment was that she had
done and was doing these things, that she was using her strength to
hold the maddened creature, and all the while calling out for help.

The doctor had not yet reached the end of the long corridor, and the
explosion and cries brought him and others running. Vaguely Win was
conscious that there were women there, maids who cleaned floors and
windows, and that there were two or three men besides Dr. Marlow. She
thought that he ordered some of them out and gave directions to
others, but the scene sharpened into detail only when she heard
herself told to stay and give assistance.

She aiding the doctor, the nurse's burns were d