"I think not; you are not strong enough,"
"O don't, Kit," remarked Keith, with a laugh; "your ministrations are just a trifle too violent."
She frowned with annoyance. Her jealous heart was becoming very sore. Keith was considerably hurt by the powerful lotion, and he lay for some time indifferent to Kitty's presence. Once she went up to him and asked if she might do something.
"You do something!" he replied. "No, thank you; send your sister to me."
"It is true," thought Kitty to herself. "He hates me, and he loves her. Why should he turn me away just because I made a tiny mistake?"
She choked down a sob in her throat, and went to fetch Mollie. Mollie returned instantly. Keith smiled when he saw her.
"Your very presence gives me strength," he said; and Kitty, silly, foolish Kitty, heard the words.
Her mind was made up now; surely she had seen for herself.
"But I won't give him up," she thought. "Mollie shall not have him. She aims at being so high, and yet she does the very lowest, meanest things. She tries to take my Gavon from me, but she shan't have him."
Kitty went across the ward. Lawson called out to her.
"Yes, I have a great deal to do," said Kitty, in a cross voice. "But do you want anything?" she added.
"I thought maybe, miss, I might dictate a letter to my young woman, so be as you'd write it for me. I don't mind saying out my mind afore you, miss."
"I will write it for you after dinner," she said.
"I may not be so well then, miss. I ain't been the thing to-day, My mind keeps wandering, and I shouldn't be surprised if I had a touch of enteric. I feel like it, somehow."
"Oh, you are getting on very well," said Kitty. "You are just nervous.--Isn't Lawson just nervous, Sister Eugenia?"
Sister Eugenia came up to Lawson's bed and looked at him.
"You don't seem quite comfortable," she said. "What do you complain of? Ankle very painful?"
"I am afraid, Lawson, you must submit to amputation," said Sister Eugenia. "It is sharp and short, and puts things right."
"Couldn't stand it; it would kill me. I couldn't go back home with only a stump instead of a leg. I couldn't do it, and I won't."
"Well, we'll see what the doctor says," replied Sister Eugenia.
"If I were you," she said in a low voice to Kitty, "I would do what he asks. I don't at all like his look. He has been suffering a lot of pain, poor fellow, and he is very bad now."