For several minutes she lingered, and was about turning away when a low moan fell on her ear and arrested her footsteps.

Her mother's commands were forgotten, and in a moment she stood by George's bedside.

Tenderly she smoothed his tumbled pillow, moistened his parched lips, and bathed his feverish brow, and when, an hour afterward, the physician entered, he found his patient calmly sleeping, with one hand clasped in that of Mary, who with the other fanned the sick boy with the same blue gingham sun-bonnet, of which he had once made fun, saying it looked like its owner, "rather skim-milky." "Mary! Mary Howard!" said the physician, "this is no place for you," and he endeavored to lead her away.
This aroused George, who begged so hard for her to remain, that the physician went in quest of Mrs.Howard, who rather unwillingly consented, and Mary was duly installed as nurse in the sick room.
Perfectly delighted with her new vocation, she would sit for hours by her charge, watching each change in his features and anticipating as far as possible his wants.

She possessed a very sweet, clear voice; and frequently, when all other means had failed to quiet him, she would bend her face near his and taking his hands in hers, would sing to him some simple song of home, until lulled by the soft music he would fall away to sleep.

Such unwearied kindness was not without its effect upon George, and one day when Mary as usual was sitting near him, he called her to his side, and taking her face between his hands, kissed her forehead and lips, saying, "What can I ever do to pay my little nurse for her kindness ?" Mary hesitated a moment, and then replied, "Love me as well as you do Ella!" "As well as I do Ella!" he repeated, "I love you a great deal better.
She has not been to see me once.