wounded almost to death, the heart, of the soldier was touched. It
was Colonel Harbin who wrestled with the hospital authorities and,
after two or three days, had her installed regularly as a nurse
for Bansemer, a concession not willingly granted. Those days were
like years to her. She was thin and worn when she came down from
the north, but she was haggard with anxiety and despair when the
two days of suspense were ended.

Ethel Harbin was her ablest ally. This rather lawless young person
laid aside the hearts with which she was toying and bent her every
endeavour to the cause of romance. It was not long before every
young officer in the city was more or less interested in the welfare
of Graydon Bansemer. She threw a fine cloak of mystery about the
"millionaire's son" and the great devotion of her cousin, The youth
of the army followed Ethel to and from the hospital for days and
days; without Ethel it is quite doubtful if anybody could have known
what a monstrous important personage Private Bansemer really was.

At the end of a fortnight he was able to sit up and converse with
his nurse and the occasional Ethel, Dr. G---, chief of the ward,
remarked to Colonel Harbin:

"He'll get well, of course. He can't help it. I never knew before
what society could do for a fellow. He's got a society nurse and
he is visited by a society despot. It beats Christian Science all
to pieces."

"Do you think he will be able to do any more fighting? Will he be
strong enough?"