I may be able to wait upon you both, and make all the return in my
power for your great kindness to me."

He soon fell into a restless, broken sleep, constantly murmuring to
himself incoherently.

"Anna," said Mrs. Carleton, "he is very ill, and it is almost sunset,
and quite impossible for us to take him up to the castle. We must make
some shelter here for him; the breeze already comes in from the sea
much cooler, and the night will be cold." The ladies picked up loose
stones and planks and everything they could move, and formed a low wall
around him, making a place of shelter as large as a small room. They
then drew up a portion of a sail and laid it partially across for a
roof. He still slept, but as they looked at him, they saw the fever was
rapidly increasing; a still brighter flush was on his cheeks; his lips
were parched, and his breathing distressingly short and oppressed.

"What can we do?" said Mrs. Carleton. "See there, Anna! The sun has gone
behind the hill to the west of the castle; it will soon be dark. It
would be terrible to leave him here to perish, for he needs great care,
beside the wolves may come, and he is too ill to defend himself. Do tell
me what you think it best to do?"

"One of us must watch by him to-night, Ada," replied Miss Vyvyan, "and
if he should be better to-morrow, we may be able to get him up to the
castle. I must be the one to watch. Little Cora could not pass the night
without you, and even if she could, you are not well enough yet to be
out in the night air. Let me go up and get a few things such as he may
require. I will be back very quickly."

When Miss Vyvyan entered the castle, the sun had set, and a dull gray
hue had settled upon every room. How dreary for poor Ada, she thought to
herself, here almost alone, with the death of her husband so recent, and
so vividly brought before her to-day. She at once thought of kindling a
fire as the only means she had of taking away some of the gloominess of
the place. She did so, and then spread a supper table as temptingly as
she could with the only food they had at command, and hastened back
again to the beach.

"He still sleeps," said Mrs. Carleton, "but his fever is very high. It
distresses me to leave you here, Anna, and I would not, but for little
Cora's sake."

"I understand you," replied Anna; "I shall always understand you. We are
not mistresses of our own destiny; we have to do what we can, not what
we wish. I know all th