Merely bowing to the nurses in attendance, she passed swiftly up between the rows of beds, but paused suddenly beside that which sustained the wasted form of her lover, who seemed to be sleeping, or swooning; she could not tell which. A great change had passed over the face and form of Albert Goldsborough since the day before. His face was more livid and sunken then ever; black shadows had gathered in the hollows of his eyes, and temples, and cheeks, and around his pallid lips, which, drawn tightly apart showed the dry, glistening teeth between them. His eyes were half open and half opaque like the eyes of the dying. His shrunken form beneath the closely clinging counterpane, revealed the rapid wasting of flesh and muscle that had gone on even in the last few hours. As soon as Elfie’s eyes fell upon him she suppressed the scream that rose to her mouth, and turned in agonized inquiry to her friend on the next cot. “Oh, what has happened since last night?” she faltered. “I am very sorry to tell you, Miss, but for some reason or other the stump broke out bleeding in the night, and there was a very exhausting hemorrhage before it could be stopped again.” “And—is there—great danger?” faintly inquired Elfie, sinking upon the chair that stood between the two beds. “Well—no, Miss, we all hope not, if it doesn’t break out again,” answered the young soldier, hesitatingly. “But—can it break out again? Is it likely do so?” anxiously inquired Elfie, now gazing in distress upon the ghastly face of her lover, and now turning appealingly to her new friend. “Well—perhaps not, Miss,” said the young soldier, painfully suppressing the truth to avoid wounding her. Again Elfie’s gaze was fixed upon the fallen face of her lover, who opened his eyes and recognized her with a wan smile. “Thank you for coming, my love. I knew you would come to me. They told me, when I asked for you, that you came yesterday, but that they could not let you stay to see me. I knew that you would come again to-day, Elfie,” he said, feebly holding out his hand to her. “Oh! Albert, dear, my heart bleeds for you,” she cried, trying to keep back her rising tears. “You know my fate, Elfie?” “Oh no, dear; none but the Omniscient can know that. But I feel sure, if you will only keep quiet and not let—_that_ happen again, you will get well. Come, Albert, I will not excite myself or you either. But I will not leave you again, dear. I will stay with you until—until you get well. See!” she said, drawing from her pocket the wedding ring that she had once indignantly torn from her finger, but still refrained from destroying. “See, I put on your ring—I put it on now of my own accord, willingly, gladly, so that I may stay and nurse you! See!” “Elfie—darling! stop! mind what you are about! Do not compromise yourself! I _may_ live!” said the almost dying man, laying his feeble hand on hers.