“He will recover now?” she asked, once more, as she turned towards the surgeon.

“With care and good nursing we may hope so,” was the reply of the attendant, who still looked earnestly into the face of the inquirer as he spoke.

“My lady knew not the pecuniary condition of Captain Bezan at this time, and desired that this purse might be devoted to his convenience and comfort; but she also desires that this may not be known to him.  May I trust to you, sir, in this little matter?”

“It will give me great pleasure to keep the secret, and to improve the purse solely for the sick man’s individual benefit,” was the reply.

“Thank you, sir; I see you are indeed his friend,” she answered, as she bowed low and withdrew.

Scarcely had the door closed after the visitor, before the surgeon, turning hastily once more to the miniature he had shown, examined it in various lights, now carefully within a part shaded by the hand, and now as a whole, and now near to, and then at a distance.

“I more than suspected it,” he exclaimed, with emphasis; “and now I know it; that lady was Senorita Isabella Gonzales, the belle of Havana!”

And so indeed it was.  Unable longer to restrain her desire to see him who had so infinitely served the interests of herself and her father’s house, the proud girl had smothered every adverse prompting in her bosom, and donning her dressing-maid’s attire, had thus dressed in humble costume, stepped into a volante, and ordering the calesaro to drive to the infantry barracks, where she knew the sick man was, had entered as we have seen, under pretext of bringing necessities from her pretended mistress to the wounded soldier.  Her scheme had succeeded infinitely well, nor would she have betrayed herself to even the surgeon’s observant eye, had it not been for that single tear!

“What angel was that?” whispered the sick man, to his attendant, who now approached his bedside to administer some cooling draught to his parched lips.

“You have been dreaming, my dear fellow,” said the discreet surgeon, cautiously, “and are already much better; keep as quiet as possible, and we will soon have you out again.  Here, captain, drink of this fruit water, it will refresh you.”

Too weak to argue or even to talk at all, the sick man drank as he was desired, and half closed his eyes again, as if he thought by thus doing he might once more bring back the sweet vision which had just gladdened his feeble senses.

Like a true-hearted fellow as he was, the surgeon resolved not to reveal the lady’s secret to any one-not even to his patient; for he saw that this was her earnest desire, and she had confided in part to him her errand there.  But those who saw the surgeon in the after part of that day, marked that he bore a depressed and thoughtful countenance.

Isabella Gonzales had filled his vision, and very nearly his heart, also, by her exquisite loveliness and beauty!