The old love was not dead. Vainly had he tried to cheat his heart with the fancy. She was more beautiful than in her early girlhood, more alluring than ever to the man who had watched her from childhood, noting every budding charm as it expanded into the matchless, full-blown rose. To think of her pledged to another in all her sweetness was madness to the hopeless lover who had come so near to bliss only to be thrust back into despair. His heart cried out fiercely, imperiously: “She is mine, mine, mine! How dare she give herself to another?” He could not come back to see her to-morrow as her aunt wished. No, no, no! He felt he could scarcely control himself in her presence, or keep back burning words of love from his lips. His first impulse was to rush away from the city, as we all long to rush away from our pain. His self-confidence had been too great in fancying he could remain there in sight and sound of his old love--the one love of his life. Bitterly he regretted now the promise to his absent friend to remain at the hospital during all of the winter months. He knew that he could not recall it now, because no one could be found to take his place in this special branch. His duty to his patients, as well as to his friend, made flight impossible. He must stay, even though his heart was wrenched with pain, even though he saw her made the bride of another. With these thronging painful thoughts he returned to his duties, endeavoring to give all his mind to them to the exclusion of jealous agonies and haunting regrets. Meanwhile he had scarcely left the house before Eva sighed deeply and recovered consciousness, flashing her dark, wistful eyes searchingly about the room. But she encountered only the anxious gaze of her aunt and maid. “Are you looking for the doctor, my dear? He has gone, and you will soon be all right again,” Mrs. Hamilton said, kissing her tenderly. It seemed to her as if the red lips quivered, and the dark eyes dimmed with a mist of tears, and, believing that she must still be very nervous and alarmed, Mrs. Hamilton sat down by her side, caressing the cold, little hands in her own, as she continued: “You will soon be quite well again. The handsome young doctor said so, and assured me that it would not ever be necessary for him to call again.” At that she was quite sure that the little white hands trembled like frightened birds in her clasp. Clearly Eva was very nervous indeed. She must soothe her, she decided, by gentle conversation. So she added: