"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."