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complexion of such health and cleanliness and dewiness as
blooms only on trained nurses。
She was so lovely that Redding swung his hooded camera at her
as swiftly as a cowboy could have covered her with his gun。
Reporters become star reporters because they observe things
that other people miss and because they do not let it appear
that they have observed them。 When the great man who is being
interviewed blurts out that which is indiscreet but most
important； the cub reporter says： 〃That's most interesting；
sir。 I'll make a note of that。〃 And so warns the great man
into silence。 But the star reporter receives the indiscreet
utterance as though it bored him； and the great man does not
know he has blundered until he reads of it the next morning
under screaming headlines。
Other men； on being suddenly confronted by Sister Anne； which
was the official title of the nursing sister； would have
fallen backward； or swooned； or gazed at her with soulful；
worshipping eyes； or； were they that sort of beast； would
have ogled her with impertinent approval。 Now Sam； because he
was a star reporter； observed that the lady before him was
the most beautiful young woman he had ever seen； but no one
would have guessed that he observed thatleast of all Sister
Anne。 He stood in her way and lifted his hat； and even looked
into the eyes of blue as impersonally and as calmly as though
she were his great…auntas though his heart was not beating
so fast that it choked him。
〃I am from the REPUBLIC；〃 he said。 〃Everybody is so busy here
to…day that I'm not able to get what I need about the Home。
It seems a pity；〃 he added disappointedly； 〃because it's so
well done that people ought to know about it。〃 He frowned at
the big hospital buildings。 It was apparent that the
ignorance of the public concerning their excellence greatly
annoyed him。
When again he looked at Sister Anne she was regarding him in
alarmobviously she was upon the point of instant flight。
〃You are a reporter？〃 she said。
Some people like to place themselves in the hands of a
reporter because they hope he will print their names in black
letters； a few othersonly reporters know how fewwould as
soon place themselves in the hands of a dentist。
〃A reporter from the REPUBLIC；〃 repeated Sam。
〃But why ask ME？〃 demanded Sister Anne。
Sam could see no reason for her question； in extenuation and
explanation he glanced at her uniform。
〃I thought you were at work here；〃 he said simply。 〃I beg
your pardon。〃
He stepped aside as though he meant to leave her。 In giving
that impression he was distinctly dishonest。
〃There was no other reason；〃 persisted Sister Anne。 〃I mean
for speaking to me？〃
The reason for speaking to her was so obvious that Sam
wondered whether this could be the height of innocence or the
most banal coquetry。 The hostile look in the eyes of the lady
proved it could not be coquetry。
〃I am sorry；〃 said Sam。 〃I mistook you for one of the nurses
here； and； as you didn't seem busy； I thought you might give
me some statistics about the Home not really statistics； you
know； but local color。〃
Sister Anne returned his look with one as steady as his own。
Apparently she was weighing his statement。 She seemed to
disbelieve it。 Inwardly he was asking himself what could be
the dark secret in the past of this young woman that at the
mere approach of a reportereven of such a nice…looking
reporter as himselfshe should shake and shudder。 〃If that's
what you really want to know；〃 said Sister Anne doubtfully；〃
I'll try and help you； but；〃 she added； looking at him as one
who issues an ultimatum； 〃you must not say anything about
me！〃
Sam knew that a woman of the self…advertising； club…
organizing class will always say that to a reporter at the
time she gives him her card so that he can spell her name
correctly； but Sam recognized that this young woman meant it。
Besides； what was there that he could write about her？ Much
as he might like to do so； he could not begin his story with：
〃The Flagg Home for Convalescents is also the home of the
most beautiful of all living women。〃 No copy editor would let
that get by him。 So； as there was nothing to say that he
would be allowed to say； he promised to say nothing。 Sister
Anne smiled； and it seemed to Sam that she smiled； not
because his promise had set her mind at ease； but because the
promise amused her。 Sam wondered why。
Sister Anne fell into step beside him and led him through the
wards of the hospital。 He found that it existed for and
revolved entirely about one person。 He found that a million
dollars and some acres of buildings； containing sun…rooms and
hundreds of rigid white beds； had been donated by Spencer
Flagg only to provide a background for Sister Anneonly to
exhibit the depth of her charity； the kindness of her heart；
the unselfishness of her nature。
〃Do you really scrub the floors？〃 he demanded〃I mean you
yourselfdown on your knees； with a pail and water and
scrubbing brush？〃
Sister Anne raised her beautiful eyebrows and laughed at him。
〃We do that when we first come here；〃 she said〃when we are
probationers。 Is there a newer way of scrubbing floors？〃
〃And these awful patients；〃 demanded Sam〃do you wait on
them？ Do you have to submit to their complaints and whinings
and ingratitude？〃 He glared at the unhappy convalescents as
though by that glance he would annihilate them。 〃It's not
fair！〃 exclaimed Sam。 〃It's ridiculous。 I'd like to choke
them！〃
〃That's not exactly the object of a home for convalescents；〃
said Sister Anne。
〃You know perfectly well what I mean；〃 said Sam。 〃Here are
youif you'll allow me to say soa magnificent； splendid；
healthy young person； wearing out your young life over a lot
of lame ducks； failures； and cripples。〃
〃Nor is that quite the way we look at；〃 said Sister Anne。
〃We？〃 demanded Sam。
Sister Anne nodded toward a group of nurse
〃I'm not the only nurse here；〃 she said 〃There are over
forty。〃
〃You are the only one here；〃 said Sam； 〃who is not！ That's
Just what I meanI appreciate the work of a trained nurse； I
understand the ministering angel part of it； but youI'm not
talking about anybody else； I'm talking about youyou are
too young！ Somehow you are different； you are not meant to
wear yourself out fighting disease and sickness； measuring
beef broth and making beds。〃
Sister Anne laughed with delight。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 said Sam stiffly。
〃Nopardon me；〃 said Sister Anne； 〃but your ideas of the
duties of a nurse are so quaint。〃
〃No matter what the duties are；〃 declared Sam； 〃You should
not be here！〃
Sister Anne shrugged her shoulders； they were charming
shouldersas delicate as the pinions of a bird。
〃One must live；〃 said Sister Anne。
They had passed through the last cold corridor； between the
last rows of rigid white cots； and had come out into the
sunshine。 Below them stretched Connecticut； painted in autumn
colors。 Sister Anne seated herself upon the marble railing of
the terrace and looked down upon the flashing waters of the
Sound。
〃Yes； that's it；〃 she repeated softly〃one must live。〃
Sam looked at herbut； finding that to do so made speech
difficult； looked hurriedly away。 He admitted to himself that
it was one of those occasions； only too frequent with him；
when his indignant sympathy was heightened by the fact that
〃the woman。 was very fair。〃 He conceded that。 He was not
going to pretend to himself that he was not prejudiced by the
outrageous beauty of Sister Anne； by the assault upon his
feelings made by her uniformmade by the appeal of her
profession； the gentlest and most gracious of all
professions。 He was honestly disturbed that this young girl
should devote her life to the service of selfish sick people。
〃If you do it because you must live； then it can easily be
arranged； for there are other ways of earning a living。〃
The girl looked at him quickly； but he was quite sincereand
again she smiled。
〃Now what would you suggest？〃 she asked。 〃You see；〃 she said；
〃I have no one to advise meno man of my own age。 I have no
brothers to go to。 I have a father； but it was his idea that
I should come here； and so I