To him her presence was a pleasure, her absence a privation; and her loneliness drew deeply upon his sympathy.

He would have merited his own self-contempt if, by word or deed, he had done anything to take advantage of her situation.

All the manhood and chivalry of his nature rose in her behalf, and, after carefully revolving the matter, he resolved to win her for his bride, bury her secret in his Northern home, and hide from his aristocratic relations all knowledge of her mournful past.

One day he said to Iola:-- "This hospital life is telling on you.

Your strength is failing, and although you possess a wonderful amount of physical endurance, you must not forget that saints have bodies and dwell in tabernacles of clay, just the same as we common mortals." "Compliments aside," she said, smiling; "what are you driving at, Doctor ?" "I mean," he replied, "that you are running down, and if you do not quit and take some rest you will be our patient instead of our nurse.