May and Sister Margaret stayed another fortnight at Hastings after this sea excursion, and Webster went twice down to see them during this time, and Sister Margaret was satisfied in her own mind that everything was progressing as she could wish. Then the weather broke up, and storms and gales swept around the coast, and the sea-foam flew into the town. And it was only when this happened that Webster yielded to May's repeated requests for them to return to London. She wished now most earnestly to commence working to earn her own living, and had had some correspondence with Doctor Brentwood on the subject. He had arranged that she should join the staff of nurses at St. Phillip's, as probationer, and Sister Margaret had already given her some instructions. But twice during this time a strong temptation rose in Ralph Webster's heart; a temptation, however, which he checked, and this was to ask May to be his wife, and so shelter her all her future life. "It would but frighten her, and make her uneasy," he told himself; "no, it is too soon." So May went back to St. Phillip's with Sister Margaret, and when Webster saw her again she was dressed in the black gown and white cap and apron of a nurse. She looked, however, so charming in this costume that he could not conceal his admiration. "You look like--well, what shall I say?" he said, smiling. "A sister of light." "Do you mean an angel?" answered May, smiling also. "Ah, I wish I felt like one." "And how do you really like the life?" went on Webster, with his dark eyes still fixed on her fair face. "There are painful things, of course," hesitated May, "but still you always feel that you are helping someone, and that is something." "But I hope they do not give you any hard work; any disagreeable work?" "They are very good to me," answered May, softly; "everyone has been very good, and as for you, Mr. Webster--" "Being good is not in my way," answered Webster, hastily turning away his head. "I do not know what you call good then; I can not tell you what I think." May's voice faltered a little when she said this, and Webster's self-imposed reserve perhaps might have broken down, but just at this moment Doctor Brentwood entered the room, as it was in his sitting-room that the interview between May and Webster was taking place. Indeed, it must be admitted that "Mrs. Church" was treated with some favoritism by the house surgeon; and there were some plain nurses and some plain probationers who made their private comments and remarks on this fact. But May was so gentle and unassuming that as a rule she disarmed criticism. "It's her pretty face," they said, shrugging their shoulders; "well, men are all alike."