“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.

It was early morning when she woke.  That day and several succeeding ones were spent at Lester’s side in the gentle ministrations love teaches.  There was little talk between them, for he was very weak, and love needs few words; but he slept much of the time with her hand in his, and waking gazed tenderly, joyously into the sweet face.

Happiness proved the best of medicines, and every hour brought a slight increase of strength, a change for the better in all the symptoms.

Meanwhile Edward and the two servants were busy with the laying in of needed supplies and the preparation of the suite of apartments which were to form the new home—­Elsie giving a little oversight and direction.

At length their labors were completed, and she was called in to take a critical survey and point out any deficiency, if such there were.

She could find none.  “My dear brother, how can I thank you enough?” she said, with a look of grateful affection.

“You are satisfied?”

“Oh, entirely!  I only wish mamma and the rest could see how comfortable, tasteful, really beautiful you have made these rooms!”

“I am very glad our work pleases you.  And the doctor tells me that under the combined influence of good nursing and unexpected happiness, Lester is gaining faster than he could have deemed possible.  What is the time fixed upon for the ceremony which is to rob you of your patronymic, sister mine?”

“Add to it, you should say,” she corrected, with a charming blush.  “Noon of day after to-morrow is the hour.  Edward, do you know that our good doctor is a Waldensian?”

“No, I did not, and am pleased to learn it; though I was satisfied that he was no Papist.”

“Yes, he is one of that long-persecuted noble race, and will take you to see his pastor on our behalf.  I have so greatly admired and loved the Waldenses that I really feel that to be married by one of their pastors will be some small compensation for—­for being so far from home and—­mamma.  O Edward, if she were but here!”