From my fever patient I was called to others, who wanted many
various things; it was a good while before I got round to
Preston again. Meanwhile, I was secretly glad to find out that
I was gaining fast ground in the heart of the other nurse of
the ward, who had at first looked upon me with great doubt and
mistrust on account of my age and appearance. She was a
clever, energetic New England woman; efficient and helpful as
it was possible to be; thin and wiry, but quiet, and full of
sense and kindliness. With a consciousness of her growing
favour upon me, I came at last to Preston's bedside again. He
looked anything but amicable.
"Where is Aunt Randolph?" were his first words, uttered with
very much the manner of a growl. I replied that I had left her
in New York.
"I shall write to her," said Preston. "How came she to do
such an absurd thing as to let you come here? and whom did you
come with? Did you come alone?"
"Not at all. I came with proper company."
"Proper company wouldn't have brought you," Preston growled.
"I think you want something to eat, Preston," I said. "You
will feel better when you have had some refreshment."
It was just the time for a meal and I saw the supplies coming
in. And Preston's refreshment, as well as that of some others,
I attended to myself. I think he found it pleasant; for
although some growls waited upon me even in the course of my
ministering to him, I heard from that time no more
remonstrances; and I am sure Preston never wrote his letter. A
testimonial of a different sort was conveyed in his whispered
request to me, not to let that horrid Yankee spinster come
near him again.
But Miss Yates was a good friend to me.
"You are looking a little pale," she said to me at evening.
"Go and lie down a spell. All's done up; you ain't wanted now,
and you may be, for anything anybody can tell, before an hour
is gone. Just you go away and get some rest. It's been your
first day. And the first day's rather tough."
I told her I did not feel tired. But she insisted; and I
yielded so far as to go and lie down for a while in the room
which Dr. Sandford had given to me. When I came back, I met
Miss Yates near the door of the room. I asked her if there
were any serious cases in the ward just then.
"La! half of 'em's serious," said she; "if you mean by that
they might take a wrong turn and go off. You never can tell."
"But are there any in immediate danger, do you think?"