To divert attention from her beloved sharpshooter, Jessica cried:
“So you shall know Aunt Sally, Mrs. Briggs! And you are right; she is one of the best women in the world. I don’t know what my dear mother would ever have done without her. In all her troubles and worries, mother has turned to Aunt Sally, and has always found help. So, when we go home; when Sophy, too, has finished her nurse’s training and got her diploma; we’ll all go home together. Sophy is to be superintendent of the hospital mother is to have built and we’ll none of us who love each other be separated again, never again.
“Oh! the dreams I’ve had, the plans I’ve formed, lying here just getting well. Seems if my whole life long and every dollar that comes into my hands must go to make somebody happy. Somebody—no matter who—just the somebody that comes nearest and the happiness can reach the first. Life—it makes a girl think pretty seriously when she knows that just the tiniest bit more of a bruise or a cut would have ended that life. It seems as if I must hurry, hurry, to make up to somebody for any mischance has come to them. I——Beg pardon, nurse, what did you say?”
“That these visitors have stayed their full time; that Sophy must be taken back to her own place; and that there is one more visitor wishing to see you. I think you have had enough callers as it is, but this one has been here nearly every day, inquiring, though not before asking permission to come up to your room. I think she is one of your schoolmates, and you must not expect to keep her long. Nor do you talk much. Let her talk and you just listen and she must not stay long.”
The others made their prompt adieus and departed; Jessica remarking: “I think it must be Rosalie Thorne. She’s been so kind and sympathetic. I don’t see how she has given so much time to calling, when she’s working so hard for her last examination. Only another week and then Commencement. Oh! I hope I may be ‘discharged’ by that time, so I can see the girls in their pretty frocks and their flowers and their pride. Helen and Rosalie are honor girls, I know. Poor Helen. I wish she would learn to like me just a little bit before she goes away forever. She’s to live in Europe, Madame said, and perfect herself in music. At least, to go on with it, though nobody can ever ‘perfect’ himself I suppose. Poor Helen! How near, how near she came to losing her own life that day! I remember I warned her about that Beauty. He——”
“There, my little patient. That’s quite enough ‘remembering’ for now. What I want you to do is some forgetting, if you please, of all that is past and gone. Think! in another week you will be back at school, well and happy once more. Ah! here comes a maid with the young lady.”
Jessica was sitting in her pretty chair, but rose as the caller entered; then promptly settled back again, while her outstretched arm sank slowly to her side. She was still weak enough to be unnerved by the sight of Helen Rhinelander whom her visitor proved to be and whom she had not seen since they two faced death together. Nor was she at all prepared for the strange behavior of the haughty senior, who hesitated on the threshold of the room, cast one glance toward the nurse—as if wishing that person elsewhere—then hurriedly crossed to Jessica’s chair and sank on her knees beside it.
Helen’s face was streaming with repentant tears and her voice tremulous with profound emotion as she caught up Jessica’s still-bandaged hand and kissed it humbly.
“O Jessica, you savior of my life! Will you forgive me? Can you ever, ever learn to do it?”
“The—savior—Helen—Why, what can you mean? Why do you kneel? Why are you crying? Oh! don’t please. Please, please, don’t! It seems so queer—as if things were all coming to an end to have you kneel there and ask me—me—to ‘forgive you.’ What in the world have I to forgive? It’s I should be forgiven, for I was angry. I was fearful angry that day, because you slighted Sobrante and praised Beauty. I—Yes, nurse. I know. I won’t talk about it, only long enough to make dear Helen understand.”