He said good-bye to the doctor and
opened the door for him; and just as he did so he found before him a
young woman who was about to ring the bell. She glanced up with
frightened eyes; he was no less startled; and then, with a hurried "I
beg your pardon," she turned to go away. But Maurice was by her side in
a moment--bareheaded as he was.
"Miss Ross!" he exclaimed--for surely, surely, he could not have
mistaken the pale olive face and the beautiful, soft, dark, lustrous
eyes; nay, he made bold to put his hand on her arm, so determined was he
to detain her.
"I--I only wished to hear how he was--but--but not that he should know,"
Nina said (she was all trembling, and her lips were pale).
"Oh, yes," Mangan said. "But you must not go away--I have something to
tell you--come in-doors! You know he is seriously ill--you cannot
refuse!"
There was but an intervening step or two; she timidly followed and
entered the little hall; and he closed the door after them.
"Is he so very ill?" she said, in a low voice. "I saw it in the
newspapers--I could not wait--but he is not to know that I came--"
"But--but I have something to say to you," he answered her, somewhat
breathlessly, for he was uncertain what to do; he only knew that she
must not go.
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