ButMrs。Taylorspokeotherwise，andatthatthegirlsaid:“I
shallstayaslongasIamneeded。Iwillnursehim。Iwanttonursehim。IwilldoeverythingforhimthatIcan！“sheexclaimed，withforce。
“Andthatwon’tbeanything，deary，“saidMrs。Taylor，harshly。
“Ayearofnursingdon’tequaladayofsweetheart。“
Thegirltookawalk，——shewasofnomoreserviceintheroomatpresent，——butsheturnedwithoutgoingfar，andMrs。Taylorspiedhercometoleanoverthepasturefenceandwatchthetwohorses——thatonetheVirginianhad“gentled“forher，andhisownMonte。Duringthissuspensecameanewcallforthedoctor，neighborsprofitingbyhisvisittoBearCreek；andinhisgoingawaytothem，evenunderpromiseofquickreturn，Mrs。Taylorsuspectedafavorablesign。Hekepthiswordaspunctuallyashadbeenpossible，arrivingaftersomesixhourswithaconfidentface，andspendingnowuponthepatientacarenotneeded，savetoreassurethebystanders。Hespokehisopinionthatallwasevenbetterthanhecouldhavehopeditwouldbe，sosoon。Herewasnowthebeginningofthefifthday；thewound’slookwaswholesome，nofurtherdeliriumhadcome，andthefeverhadabatedadegreewhilehewasabsent。Hebelievedtheseriousdanger-linelaybehind，andshortoftheunforeseentheman’sdeepuntaintedstrengthwouldreassertitscontrol。Hehadmuchbloodtomake，andmustbecaredforduringweeks——three，four，five——therewasnosayinghowlongyet。Thesenextfewdaysitmustbeutterquietforhim；hemustnottalknorhearanythinglikelytodisturbhim；andthenthetimeforcheerfulnessandgradualcompanywouldcome——soonerthanlater，thedoctorhoped。