Edward made way for her. Lester looked up, caught sight of her, and a flash of exceeding joy lighted up his pale, emaciated features.
"Elsie!"
"Lester!"
She dropped on her knees, laid her face on the pillow beside his, and their lips met in a long kiss.
"O love, love! how sweet, how kind, how dear in you!" he murmured.
"I have come to be your nurse," she said, with a lovely blush and smile, "come to stay with you always while God spares our lives."
Soon Edward went out and left them together. He had much to attend to, with Dinah and Ben for his helpers. Other and better apartments were speedily rented, cleaned, and comfortably, even elegantly furnished. Their mother had sent them off with full purses and carte blanche to draw upon her bankers for further supplies as they might be needed; and Edward knew it would be her desire to see Elsie and Lester surrounded by the luxuries to which she had been accustomed from her birth.
When night came the doctor pronounced his patient already wonderfully improved.
"But the signora must leave him to me and the nurse to night," he said; "she is fatigued with her long journey and must take her rest and sleep, or she too will be ill."
So Elsie took possession of the pleasant room which had been prepared for her, and casting on the Lord all care for herself and dear ones, and full of glad anticipations for the future, slept long and sweetly.