"I hate nursing."

"How unwomanly! Lots of women hate it--but few admit it. However, it
wasn't a nurse's duties I was thinking of, but a patient's
privileges. You see, if you were a professional nurse I could call
you 'Nurse Desire.'"

"Do you mean that you want to call me by my first name?"

"Since you put it more bluntly than I should dare to,--yes. It is a
charming name. But perhaps--"

"Oh, you may use it if you like," said the owner of the name
indifferently. "It sounds more natural. I am not accustomed to 'Miss
Fair.'"

This ought to have been satisfactory. But it wasn't. And after he
had led up to it so tactfully, too! Not for the first time did it
occur to our psychologist that tact was wasted upon this downright
young person. He decided not to be tactful any longer.

"I'm getting well so rapidly," he said, "that I shall have to admit
it soon."

The girl nodded.

"Are you glad?"

"Of course I am glad."