lainly the
day had brought her a tonic; yet the past six months had told upon
the girl pitilessly.

"But, for God's sake, when is it all to end?" he burst out suddenly.

"Tired of the service, Mr. Weldon?" she asked gravely, but with no
accent of reproach.

"Not tired of my own. But the worst of it all comes back on you
women, and that is maddening."

She smiled down at him, and the light in her eyes deepened and grew
yet more womanly.

"It is all we can do to help, Mr. Weldon. Let us take what share we
can. The work is hard, hard and discouraging; but--" involuntarily
she glanced at Carew's happy, handsome face; "but now and then it
brings its own reward."

The short silence was broken only by Kruger Bobs, scraping his spoon
along his fast-emptying plate. Then Alice spoke again.

"You hear often from Cooee, Mr. Weldon?"

"Now and then. Not often."

"Did you know that she may come to us, after Christmas?"

"No," he said alertly. "To Johannesburg?"

She nodded.

"We need her, and my aunt has almost given her consent. The need
grows greater, every day; we can't hold out much longer, unless we
can have more help. Cooee isn't trained at all; but she has endless
tact and she knows how to take orders. Unless January brings us
fewer patients, I think she will come north for a month." "Does she
wish to?"

Alice laughed.

"As a matter of mere conscience. Cooee hates lint and disinfectants
and the hush of things; but she begins to see the need before her.
She makes all manner of fun of me, and of the whole hospital scheme
of things; but still I think she will come. My aunt opposes it; but
we are trying to compromise on a month. That won't wear Cooee out,
and the novelty will last for that length of time, and help keep up
her enthusiasm."

"Did you know Captain Frazer is coming up, in a week or two?"

For an instant, Alice's eyes clouded.

"No. When did you hear?"

"Just as I left camp. The appointment took him quite by surprise,
and he wrote to me at once," Weldon answered with quiet dignity, for
he was not slow to read the question in the girl's mind.

Her face cleared.

"I hadn't heard. Cooee's last letter is three weeks old, so it
couldn't bring the news." Then she glanced over her shoulder, as one
of the doctors halted on the threshold. "Am I needed?"

"Young Walpole is just going," he said gravely. "He has asked for
you."

Both men rose to their feet. It was Carew, however, who lingered.

"W