Zuster Brown

Summary

Joyce Sinclair is a governess to Enid, the little daughter of Henry Ferguson, an old friend of her late father. At a house-party, Roy Chertsey, the heir of a family of ancient lineage, meets and falls in love with Joyce. Next morning Roy goes out into the woods with his gun for some duck shooting and to keep an appointment with Joyce. She, together with little Enid, wanders to the rendezvous and is followed by Henry, who tries to embrace her. They fight and suddenly the barrel of a gun is seen through the bushes, a shot rings out and Henry falls to the ground dead. A gardener finds the rifle belonging to Roy, with one bullet missing. An inquest is held, but when Joyce is called as witness she has disappeared rather than give evidence against the man she loves. At the trial, Roy is acquitted through lack of evidence.

Meanwhile, Joyce has hidden herself in London, where she takes up her old profession as a qualified nurse. Roy, broken down by the tragic events and haunted by the mystery of the murder and Joyce's disappearance, has a bad attack of brain fever. He is faithfully attended by his mother and sister. In the hospital where she is working, Joyce sees a wire from Holland asking for a trained nurse to take care of Roy Chertsey. Calling herself Nurse Brown, she nurses Roy back to health and strength. When Roy regains his consciousness he recognizes Nurse Brown as his beloved Joyce. This they keep secret.

Walking in the woods one day, Joyce comes across a gipsy caravan and recognizes one of the gipsies as Ferguson's former gardener Robinson. She remembers that, on the day before the murder, Robinson had been dismissed for drunkenness and turned out of his cottage. She attires herself as a gipsy, goes to Robinson to read his hand and when she says suddenly "This hand has killed a man!" Robinson suffers a heart attack. She sends for a doctor and a priest who, together with Roy, arrive in time to hear Robinson's confession of the murder of Henry Ferguson. Now that Joyce has proved Roy's innocence, the shadow is lifted out of their lives.