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even if I don't bring another girl； which I certainly would
not； it would cost a great deal of money。 I think we might
cut out the taxicaband walk in the park and feed the
squirrels。〃
〃Oh！〃 exclaimed Sam in disappointment；〃then you know
Central Park？〃
Sister Anne's eyes grew quite expressionless。
〃I once lived near there；〃 she said。
〃In Harlem？〃
〃Not exactly in Harlem； but near it。 I was quite young；〃 said
Sister Anne。 〃Since then I have always lived in the country
or inother places。〃
Sam's heart was singing with pleasure。
〃It's so kind of you to consent；〃 he cried。 〃Indeed； you are
the kindest person in all the world。 I thought so when I saw
you bending over these sick people； and； now I know。〃
〃It is you who are kind；〃 protested Sister Anne； 〃to take
pity on me。〃
〃Pity on you！〃 laughed Sam。 〃You can't pity a person who can
do more with a smile than old man Flagg can do with all his
millions。 Now；〃 he demanded in happy anticipation；〃 where are
we to meet？〃
〃That's it；〃 said Sister Anne。 〃Where are we to meet？〃
〃Let it be at the Grand Central Station。 The day can't begin
too soon；〃 said Sam； 〃and before then telephone me what
theatre and restaurants you want and I'll reserve seats and
tables。 Oh；〃 exclaimed Sam joyfully； 〃it will be a wonderful
daya wonderful day！〃
Sister Anne looked at him curiously and； so； it seemed； a
little wistfully。 She held out her hand。
〃I must go back to my duties；〃 she said。 〃Good…by。〃
〃Not good…by；〃 said Sam heartily； 〃only until Saturdayand
my name's Sam Ward and my address is the city room of the
REPUBLIC。 What's your name？〃
〃Sister Anne；〃 said the girl。 〃In the nursing order to which
I belong we have no last names。〃
〃So；〃 asked Sam； 〃I'll call you Sister Anne？〃
〃No； just Sister；〃 said the girl。
〃Sister！〃 repeated Sam； 〃Sister！〃 He breathed the word rather
than spoke it； and the way he said it and the way he looked
when he said it made it carry almost the touch of a caress。
It was as if he had said 〃Sweetheart！ or 〃Beloved！〃 〃I'll not
forget；〃 said Sam。
Sister Anne gave an impatient； annoyed laugh。
〃Nor I；〃 she said。
Sam returned to New York in the smoking…car； puffing
feverishly at his cigar and glaring dreamily at the smoke。 He
was living the day over again and； in anticipation； the day
off； still to come。 He rehearsed their next meeting at the
station； he considered whether or not he would meet her with
a huge bunch of violets or would have it brought to her when
they were at luncheon by the head waiter。 He decided the
latter way would be more of a pleasant surprise。 He planned
the luncheon。 It was to be the most marvellous repast he
could evolve； and； lest there should be the slightest error；
he would have it prepared in advanceand it should cost half
his week's salary。
The place where they were to dine he would leave to her；
because he had observed that women had strange ideas about
clothessome of them thinking that certain clothes must go
with certain restaurants。 Some of them seemed to believe
that； instead of their conferring distinction upon the
restaurant； the restaurant conferred distinction upon them。
He was sure Sister Anne would not be so foolish； but it might
be that she must always wear her nurse's uniform and that she
would prefer not to be conspicuous； so he decided that the
choice of where they would dine he would leave to her。 He
calculated that the whole day ought to cost about eighty
dollars； which； as star reporter； was what he was then
earning each week。 That was little enough to give for a day
that would be the birthday of his life！ No； he contradicted
the day he had first met her must always be the birthday of
his life； for never had he met one like her and he was sure
there never would be one like her。 She was so entirely
superior to all the others； so fine； so difficultin her
manner there was something that rendered her
unapproachable。 Even her simple nurse's gown was worn with a
difference。 She might have been a princess in fancy dress。
And yet； how humble she had been when he begged her to let
him for one day personally conduct her over the great city！
〃You are so kind to take pity on me；〃 she had said。 He
thought of many clever； pretty speeches he might have made。
He was so annoyed he had not thought of them at the time that
he kicked violently at the seat in front of him。
He wondered what her history might be； he was sure it was
full of beautiful courage and self…sacrifice。 It certainly
was outrageous that one so glorious must work for her living；
and for such a paltry livingforty dollars a month！ It was
worth that merely to have her sit in the flat where one could
look at her； for already he had decided that； when they were
married； they would live in a flatprobably in one
overlooking Central Park； on Central Park West。 He knew of
several attractive suites there at thirty…five dollars a
weekor； if she preferred the suburbs； he would forsake his
beloved New York and return to the country。 In his gratitude
to her for being what she was； he conceded even that
sacrifice。
When he reached New York； from the speculators he bought
front…row seats at five dollars for the two most popular
plays in town。 He put them away carefully in his waistcoat
pocket。 Possession of them made him feel that already he had
obtained an option on six hours of complete happiness。
After she left Sam； Sister Anne passed hurriedly through the
hospital to the matron's room and； wrapping herself in a
raccoon coat； made her way to a waiting motor car and said；
〃Home！〃 to the chauffeur。 He drove her to the Flagg family
vault； as Flagg's envious millionaire neighbors called the
pile of white marble that topped the highest hill above
Greenwich； and which for years had served as a landfall to
mariners on the Sound。
There were a number of people at tea when she arrived and
they greeted her noisily。
〃I have had a most splendid adventure！〃 said Sister Anne。
〃There were six of us； you know； dressed up as Red Cross
nurses； and we gave away programmes。 Well； one of the New
York reporters thought I was a real nurse and interviewed me
about the Home。 Of course I knew enough about it to keep it
up； and I kept it up so well that he was terribly sorry for
me； and。 。 。 。 〃
One of the tea drinkers was little Hollis Holworthy； who
prided himself on knowing who's who in New York。 He had met
Sam Ward at first nights and prize fights。 He laughed
scornfully。
〃Don't you believe it！〃 he interrupted。 〃That man who was
talking to you was Sam Ward。 He's the smartest newspaper man
in New York； he was just leading you on。 Do you suppose
there's a reporter in America who wouldn't know you in the
dark？ Wait until you see the Sunday paper。〃
Sister Anne exclaimed indignantly。
〃He did not know me！〃 she protested。 〃It quite upset him that
I should be wasting my life measuring out medicines and
making beds。〃
There was a shriek of disbelief and laughter。
〃I told him；〃 continued Sister Anne； 〃that I got forty
dollars a month； and he said I could make more as a
typewriter； and I said I preferred to be a manicurist。〃
〃Oh； Anita！〃 protested the admiring chorus。
〃And he was most indignant。 He absolutely refused to allow me
to be a manicurist。 And he asked me to take a day off with
him and let him show me New York。 And he offered； as
attractions； moving…picture shows and a drive on a Fifth
Avenue bus； and feeding peanuts to the animals in the park。
And if I insisted upon a chaperon I might bring one of the
nurses。 We're to meet at the soda…water fountain in the Grand
Central Station。 He said； 'The day cannot begin too soon。'〃
〃Oh； Anita！〃 shrieked the chorus。
Lord Deptford； who as the newspapers had repeatedly informed
the American public； had come to the Flaggs' country…place to
try to marry Anita Flagg； was amused。
〃What an awfully jolly rag！〃 he cried。 〃And what are you
going to do about it？〃
〃Nothing；〃 said Anita Flagg。 〃The reporters have been making
me ridiculous for the last three years； now I have got back
at one of them！ 〃And；〃 she added； 〃that's all there is to
that！〃
That night； however； when the house party was making toward
bed； Sister Anne stopped by the stairs and said to Lord
Deptford： 〃I want to hear you call me Sister。〃
〃Call you what？〃 exclaimed the young man。 〃I will tell you；〃
he whispered； 〃what I'd like to call you！〃
〃You will not！〃 interrupted Anita。 〃Do as I tell you and say
Sister once。 Say it as though you meant it。〃
〃But I don't mean it；〃 protested his lordship。 〃I've said
already what I。 。 。 。〃
〃Never mind what you've said already；〃 commanded Miss Flagg。
〃I've heard that from a lot of people。 Say Sister just once。〃
His lordship frowned in embarrassment。
〃Sister！〃 he exclaimed。 It sounded like the pop of a cork。
Anita Flagg laughed unkindly and her beautiful shoulders
shivered as though she were cold。
〃Not a bit like it； Deptford；〃 she said。 〃Good…night。〃
Later Helen Page； who came to her room to ask her about a
horse she was to ride in the morning； found her ready for bed
but standing by the open window looking out toward the great
city to the south。
When