He was leading her out when Doctor St. Clair hurried after them.
“Miss Somerville, will you not give me one dance?”
She hesitated, recoiling from him in secret repugnance, and he added hastily:
“It is obligatory, you know, on the attendants to take part in the dancing for the pleasure of the patients.”
“Very well; I will dance when I come back. I am going out now for a breath of fresh air. Excuse me,” and she brushed hastily past him and disappeared with her lover by her side.
The doctor stood looking after them with an ominous frown.
“How I hate that upstart fellow! I wish I could find out something bad enough about him to warrant his dismissal from the hospital. Wonder if I could not do a little detective work to that end. The governor ought to know all about him. He recommended him to the board. What if I take a run down to Charleston and interview his excellency on Doctor Rupert’s antecedents,” he was musing to himself, when a white hand clasped his arm and a gay voice exclaimed:
“Come, doctor dear, and try that new waltz with me! It’s exquisite. No use frowning after Rupert. He has cut you out with the little Somerville beauty, that’s clear.”
“Who cares?” he replied curtly, encircling her waist closely with his arm and whirling her into the ring of merry waltzers, while his angry thoughts followed the handsome young pair who had gone out into the moonlighted grounds to enjoy each other’s society while he was left to be bored by sprightly Miss Blue, of whom he was weary now, though he could not shake her off.
Eager to escape from the uncongenial air and company of the ballroom, the lovers wandered out into the beautiful grounds beneath the light of the full May moon shining in the blue and starry sky, a night so sweet and balmy it seemed made for love and lovers.