out for the hospital where George was lying sick.

Soon arriving there, she went immediately to the nurse and ordered him
to give her the gold watch George had given him, which he did very
quickly. Then she ordered the nurse to take her instantly to the
bedside of the young man. This he did with reluctance, evidently
because he was ashamed of the way in which the patient was being
treated. Leading Agnes to the darkest end of a small room in which
were a number of sick, he showed her George Harkness.

Poor fellow! in a sort of stupor, there he lay doubled up like a ball
on the bare floor in a hot, close corner.

Agnes was enraged, but there was no time to waste in quarrelling or
scolding.

"Bring that man this moment into the best room you have; put him into
bed, and fetch the following things. I will stay and nurse him."

There was an imperiousness and determination about her tones that
caused Agnes to be obeyed instantly, and in a few minutes Harkness was
laid upon the bed. There was no prudish finicking about Agnes. Taking
pen-knife from her pocket, she ripped the boots off George's feet,
pulled off his socks, and in less than three minutes more was laving
his feet and legs to the knees in hot mustard water.

Fully half an hour did she continue her exertions with the sick man
before he recovered his senses sufficiently to recognize her. As he
did so, he started up, and gazed a long time at her--like one in a
dream.