Seaton walked with feeble steps, and leaning on two men, to the infirmary; and General Rolleston ordered a cup of coffee, lighted a cigar and sat cogitating over this strange business and asking himself how he could get rid of this young madman and yet befriend him. As for Sarah Wilson, she went to bed discontented and wondering at her own bad judgment. She saw too late that if she had held her tongue Seaton would have been her patient and her prisoner; and as for Miss Rolleston, when it came to the point, why, she would never have nursed him except by proxy, and the proxy would have been Sarah Wilson. However, the blunder blind passion had led her into was partially repaired by Miss Rolleston herself. When she heard, next day, where Seaton was gone, she lifted up her hands in amazement. "What _could_ papa be thinking of to send our benefactor to a hospital?" And, after meditating awhile, she directed Wilson to cut a nosegay and carry it to Seaton. "He is a gardener;" said she innocently. "Of course he will miss his flowers sadly in that miserable place." And she gave the same order every day, with a constancy that, you must know, formed part of this young lady's character. Soup, wine and jellies were sent from the kitchen every other day with equal pertinacity. Wilson concealed the true donor of all those things and took the credit to herself. By this means she obtained the patient's gratitude, and he showed it so frankly she hoped to steal his love as well. But no! his fancy and his heart remained true to the cold beauty he had served so well, and she had forgotten him, apparently. This irritated Wilson at last, and she set to work to cure him with wholesome but bitter medicine. She sat down beside him one day, and said cheerfully, "We are all _'on the keyfeet'_ just now. Miss Rolleston's beau is come on a visit." The patient opened his eyes with astonishment. "Miss Rolleston's beau?" "Ay, her intended. What, didn't you know, she is engaged to be married?" "She engaged to be married?" gasped Seaton. Wilson watched him with a remorseless eye. "Why, James," said she, after awhile, "did you think the likes of her would go through the world without a mate?" Seaton made no reply but a moan, and lay back like one dead, utterly crushed by this cruel blow. A buxom middle-aged nurse now came up and said, with a touch of severity, "Come, my good girl, no doubt you mean well, but you are doing ill. You had better leave him to us for the present." On this hint Wilson bounced out and left the patient to his misery. At her next visit she laid a nosegay on his bed and gossiped away, talking of everything in the world except Miss Rolleston. At last she came to a pause, and Seaton laid his hand on her arm directly, and looking piteously in her face spoke his first word. "Does she love him?" "What, still harping on _her?"_ said Wilson. "Well, she doesn't hate him, I suppose, or she would not marry him."