She spoke with difficulty.  As Burns studied her downbent face, the profile his wife had brought out by her skill at hair-dressing showing like a fine cameo against the dark background of the wall, he was thinking that unless Leaver were blind he must find her rather satisfying to the eye, at least.  He answered her with confidence.

“He’s a man of education, it’s true.  But what are you?  Come,—­haven’t I found all sorts of evidences, about my office, that you are a woman of education?  It doesn’t matter whether you got that education in a college or from the books I know you have read,—­you have it.  I’ll trust your ability to discuss six out of a dozen subjects Leaver may bring up—­or, if you can’t discuss them all, you can do what is better—­let him instruct you.  Don’t tell me you can’t handle those cards every fascinating woman understands so well.  If there’s anything a man likes to do it’s to teach an interested woman the things she cleverly professes she wants to know—­and the best of it is that no matter how often you play that game on us we’re always caught by it.  Leaver will be caught by it, just as if he hadn’t had it tried on him a thousand times.  And while he’s playing it with you, he’ll forget himself, which is the first step on the road I want him to travel.”

She looked up.  “Do you mean that I am to keep on attending him after he is able to leave his room?  Is he going to stay with you after that?  He told me only to-day that he intends to go as soon as he is able to travel.”

“We shall keep him as long as we can possibly persuade him to stay.  Meanwhile, my plan is to have you settle down and stay with us, as a member of the family.  We’ll have someone else attend to the office.  You can go with me, as usual, when I operate, but I shall put you on no case but Dr. Leaver’s, and the greater part of your time will be his.”

“But what will he think?  Doesn’t he know that I’m your office nurse?”

“How should he know it—­unless you have taken pains to tell him?”

She shook her head.  “He only knows that I am your assistant at operations.  The other point hasn’t come up.”

“Good.  Then he will accept whatever situation he finds, and never think of questioning it.  The way is clear enough.  And it’s the only way I know of to insure his having what he needs—­the close companionship of a sympathetic—­yet not too sympathetic—­woman—­with a face like yours,” he added, slyly.

The quick colour answered this, as he knew it would.  “Dr. Burns!  You know I’m not even good looking!  Please don’t say such things.”

“I only said ‘a face like yours.’  That may imply a face as plain as you think Amy Mathewson’s is—­and as my wife and I know it is not.  It’s time you waked up, girl, to your own attractions.  You ought to have faith in them when I’m asking the use of them for this patient of mine.  I’d give about all I own to put him on his feet again.”