“I will tell Doctor Rupert all about it myself and send him over to see you,” the kind young girl said when she had safely established Eva in her aunt’s simple cottage home and was leaving to return to her work. Aunt Susan was a dear, kind, pious old lady, so fond of Ada Winton that she would do anything to please her, so she made Eva as welcome as a daughter to her homelike little house, with the neatness of a place inhabited by one woman alone. There, when the day was a few hours older, came Doctor Rupert to see his exiled lady love, taking to himself all the blame of her discharge. “I kept you out too late, forgetting that the rules are very strict, but I think I should have rated Doctor St. Clair this morning for his severity had he not gone away on a trip to Charleston before I heard of it,” he said. “He told me he was going to Washington,” Eva cried inadvertently. “He must have changed his mind, but it does not matter,” Doctor Rupert said carelessly, adding: “After all, I’m glad you have left that place, for now I can persuade you to an immediate wedding. Will you marry me this day week, Eva?” “So soon?” “Why should we postpone our happiness, darling? I have waited long enough for it already--longer than you dream. And, somehow, I can never feel quite sure of you until the magic words are spoken that make you mine.” Who could hold out against such pleading words and tender looks? Not Eva, who was so alone and lonely that he was her whole world. So she consented to his prayer, though she said tearfully: “Do you know that I shall have to marry you, dear, in borrowed plumes?” “That will not matter in the least. We will go on a little bridal tour to Parkersburg the next day, and do all the shopping you like,” he answered, kissing the pearly tears from the beautiful dark eyes, and thanking her over and over for her sweet consent. He was like a man drunken with bliss. The desire of his heart was going to be granted to him. He had loved her so long, so faithfully, without hope, that he could scarcely realize fate’s kindness, now that, overleaping all adverse barriers, it was going to give him bonnie, golden-haired Eva for his own. How fast the days flew! He could scarcely attend to his duties at the hospital, he was so eager to spend every moment with his darling. When he came to see her he could scarcely tear himself away from her side. He dreamed all night of her dark eyes, her rosy lips, her curling golden hair, her sweet kisses, the warm clasp of her soft, clinging hands. His every moment was a pæan of joy and gratitude because God was going to give him the desire of his heart. Every one in the town and at the hospital knew that he was going to marry little Eva in a week. He was so proud of it that he could have shouted it aloud to the winds. He had engaged board at the hotel--the very prettiest room in the house. He wished to shrine his jewel in the finest setting.