noon
The call reached and wrung the heart of Rose . She could not go as a nurse , she knew ; yet the need was so great that it seemed to her that somehow she must answer ; but she resolutely closed her ears to it and fixed her eyes the more steadfastly upon the rocky , shut-in path which she had set forth to climb . It was a raw , bleak evening in late November when she made her final resolve . At noon Donald had met her in one of the corridors and stopped to speak with her . His face , she thought afterwards , had appeared unusually serious and determined , even for him , as he said , `` This is your afternoon and evening off duty , is n't it , Rose ? I want to talk with you , if you have n't made any other plans . '' As it chanced , she had been eagerly anticipating a visit to the theatre with Miss Merriman , who was home for a few days between cases ; but something about his manner caused her to tell a white lie without hesitation .