"Of course, foolish one. I was awfully worried about you." She laughed softly. "But now I must go. Your nurse will be dragging me out in another minute. And we must obey orders." "Oh, don't go, don't go!" He flushed deeply. "Promise me you will stay?" Sitting up in bed, he clasped both arms about her shoulders and buried his burning face in her neck. Anne disentangled herself. "I shall be in the next room, within call," she said rather breathlessly. "You must be good and do as the doctor says, or you won't get well." He fell back upon the pillow and looked up at her. "Is it as bad as that?" he whispered with a wry smile. "Six weeks ago I would have welcomed the tidings, but now, that you are here, that you have forgiven me, I am afraid. Promise, promise you will not leave me?" A lump in Anne's throat, she nodded. "I will not leave the apartment until you are entirely out of danger, Alexis," she whispered, her hand on his tumbled hair. He heaved a sigh of satisfaction, and drawing her fingers to his fever-smitten lips, kissed them pleadingly. "Now you may go. If it is only into the other room? But first prove that you were really here last night." She knitted her brows. "But how can I, Alexis, if you won't take my word?" "Take down your hair," was his whispered command. "Let me see if it looks the same as in my dream." She blushed. "No, no, I cannot. What would the nurse think?" She hesitated a moment with puzzled brows. "But yes, I'll tell you what I will do." Her eyes laughed down at him reassuringly. "What?" he whispered joyously. "I can show you the dressing-gown I had on. Do you remember what it looked like?" "Golden as honey," he murmured, his eyes upon her hair. "Yes, 'seeing is believing.'" She laughed, and running out of the room, returned with the négligée on her arm. At the sight his smouldering eyes flared anew. "Yes, that is it," he whispered. "Will you put it on for me to-night, dear Anne?" The flush still upon her cheeks, Anne nodded weakly. After all, had not the doctor said he must be humored? "And now good-bye for the present, Alexis. See, here's your nurse waiting to drag me out by the hair." She tried to laugh. The nurse appeared on the threshold, coughing apologetically. "I do hope you'll excuse me for disturbing you, but you see it has really been seven minutes, instead of five." The ghost of a twinkle in her eye, she approached them gingerly. "All right, Anne, go if you must," Alexis sighed mournfully. "But please, please, won't you kiss me first, just to prove you're really here?" Anne stooped over him, laughing unsteadily. "I, don't usually have to answer to roll-call like this." She pressed her lips lightly upon the hot forehead, beneath the towseled, fair hair. "There, will you be good now!" The touch of her lips flamed through Alexis's body. He closed his eyes in sheer ecstasy. When he opened them Anne had disappeared.