He looked at her and laughed.

"Oh, you don't at all understand!" she cried.

"I'm not a doctor of divinity," he said. "Good morning."

"Wait, wait!" she implored, "I'm afraid--I don't know--Perhaps my being
near her is injurious to her; perhaps I ought to let some one else nurse
her. I wished to ask you this"--She stopped breathlessly.

"I don't think you have done her any harm as yet," he answered lightly.

"However," he said, after a moment's consideration, "why don't you take a
holiday? Some of the other ladies might look after her a while."

"Do you really think," she palpitated, "that I might? Do you think I
ought? I'm afraid I ought n't"--

"Not if your devotion is hurtful to her?" he asked. "Send some one else
to her for a while. Any one can take care of her for a few hours."

"I couldn't leave her--feeling as I do about her."

"I don't know how you feel about her," said Dr. Mulbridge. "But you can't
go on at this rate. I shall want your help by and by, and Mrs. Maynard
doesn't need you now. Don't go back to her."

"But if she should get worse while I am away"--