the first time,
his weakness was such that he fainted; but he recovered and apologised,
and would even have faced the ordeal again had Capper permitted it. On
the following day he went through it without a tremor, and slept
thereafter for hours, scarcely rousing himself for nourishment.

It was during that sleep that Nap left him, went out into the spring
woods, and remained absent for some time. Lucas was still sleeping when
he returned, and after a brief look at him he moved away into the
adjoining room and prowled to and fro there waiting.

At the first sound of his brother's voice he was back by the bedside.

Lucas smiled a welcome. "I'm better," he said, and held up a weak hand.

It was the first time he had made the assertion. Nap took the hand and
laid it gently down.

"You'll get well now," he said.

The heavy drowsiness was less apparent than usual on Lucas's face. "I
don't know where I'd be without you, Boney," he said. "Do you know you're
looking awfully ill?"

"Shucks!" said Nap.

But Lucas continued his criticism undeterred.

"You've spent too much of yourself on me, and I've been too damned
selfish to notice. I'm going to wake up now, Boney. I'm going to play the
game. You've been playing my hand as well as your own till now. I'm going
to relieve you of that."

"Hear, hear!" said Nap.

"You'll go to bed in your own room to-night," said Lucas, "go to bed and
to sleep. In the morning we'll have a talk."

But when the morning came, his energy had flagged a little. He had not
slept as well as usual, and though he had no pain he seemed disinclined
for physical effort.

"I want a holiday to-day," he said to Capper. "Just let in the sunshine
and leave me to bask."

There had been a spell of cold and sunless weather, but that day the sun
shone gloriously. The genial warmth of it came in through the open
window and flooded the room with the very essence of spring.

"I'm going to take a day off and enjoy it," smiled Lucas. "You take a day
off too, doctor. Make the mater go out in the car. I shall do wonders
to-morrow after a good laze to-day."

Capper looked him over keenly, pulled his beard, cracked his fingers, and
yielded. "Guess a rest won't do you any harm. There's no reason to hustle
you any that I can see."

And Lucas spent the whole morning basking in the sunshine in almost
unbroken silence. He did not sleep at all. His eyes, remote and
thoughtful, were for the most part watching the sp