"Would you care to see him for a second ?" A dreadful fear smote her as she crouched there speechless.
"The danger of infection is slight," said the nurse--and knew at the same instant that she had misunderstood.

"Did you think I meant he is dying ?" she added gently as Shiela straightened up to her slender height.
"Is he better ?" whispered Constance.
"He is conscious," said the nurse patiently.

"He knows"-- turning to Shiela--"that you are here.

You must not speak to him; you may let him see you for a moment.

Come!" In the shadowy half-light of the room Shiela halted at a sign from the nurse; the doctor glanced up, nodding almost imperceptibly as the girl's eyes fell upon the bed.
How she did it--what instinct moved her, what unsuspected reserve of courage prompted her, she never understood; but looking into the dreadful eyes of death itself there in the sombre shadows of the bed, she smiled with a little gesture of gay recognition, then, turning, passed from the room.
"Did he know you ?" motioned Constance.
"I don't know--I don't know....