Beulah - Page 235/348

"Nursing Kate, sir. Don't talk so loud; she is asleep," answered

Beulah rather frigidly.

She did not look at him, but knew his eyes were on her face, and

presently he said: "You are always where you ought not to be. That girl has typhus

fever, and, ten to one, you will take it. In the name of common

sense! why don't you let people take care of their own sick, and

stay at home, instead of hunting up cases like a professed nurse? I

suppose the first confirmed case of smallpox you hear of, you will

hasten to offer your services. You don't intend to spend the night

here, it is to be hoped?"

"Her mother has been sitting up so constantly that she is completely

exhausted, and somebody must assist in nursing Kate. I did not know

that she had any contagious disease; but if she has, I suppose I

might as well run the risk as anybody else. It is but common

humanity to aid the family."

"Oh! if you choose to risk your life it is your own affair. Do not

imagine for an instant that I expected my advice to weigh an iota

with you."

He walked off to Kate, felt her pulse, and, without waking her,

proceeded to replenish the glass of medicine on the table. Beulah

was in no mood to obtrude herself on his attention; she went to the

window, and stood with her back to him. She could not tamely bear

his taunting manner, yet felt that it was out of her power to

retort, for she still reverenced him. She was surprised when he came

up to her, and said abruptly: "To-day I read an article in 'T----'s Magazine' called the 'Inner

Life,' by 'Delta.'"

A deep crimson dyed her pale face an instant, and her lips curled

ominously, as she replied, in a would-be indifferent tone: "Well, sir?"

"It is not well, at all. It is very ill. It is most miserable!"

"Well! what do I care for the article in 'T----'s Magazine'? "These

words were jerked out, as it were, with something like a sneer.

"You care more than you will ever be brought to confess. Have you

read this precious 'Inner Life'?"

"Oh, yes!"

"Have you any idea who the author is?"

"Yes, sir; I know the author; but if it had been intended or desired

that the public should know, also, the article would never have

appeared over a fictitious signature."