of the affair would be.

Contrary to her aunt's protest, Joyce insisted on taking most of the care
of Calhoun during the day. Margaret Goodsen was all the help she needed.
She had engaged a competent man to care for him nights. Had not Mark told
her to save the life of the man he had shot, if possible?

CHAPTER XX.

CALHOUN AWAKES TO LIFE.

For two weeks Calhoun hovered between life and death; but at last his
rugged constitution conquered. During this time Joyce was unremitting in
her attention. "I must save him for the sake of Mark," she would say, "I
cannot bear to have his blood on Mark's hands."

In speaking to Joyce's aunt, Matilda Goodsen said: "The poor child will
hardly let me do anything; she wants to do it all."

Miss Crawford fretted and fumed, but it did no good. In this Joyce would
have her way.

Calhoun's fever had been growing less day by day, and the time came when
it left him, and he lay in a quiet and restful slumber. But his breathing
was so faint, Joyce was almost afraid it was the sleep which precedes
death.

It was near the close of an August day. The weather had been warm and
sultry, but a thunder shower had cooled and cleared the atmosphere, and
the earth was rejoicing in the baptism it had received. The trees seemed
to ripple with laughter, as the breeze shook the raindrops from their
leaves. The grass was greener, the flowers brighter on account of that
same baptism. The birds sang a sweeter song. What is more beautiful than
nature after a summer shower!

It was at such a time that Calhoun awoke to life and consciousness. A
delicious lethargy was over him. He felt no pain, and his bed was so soft,
he seemed to be resting on a fleecy cloud. He tried to raise his hand, and
found to his surprise he could not move a finger. Even his eyes for a time
refused to open. Slowly his memory came back to him; how in the fierce
conflict he tried to break through the line and sought to cut down an
officer who opposed him. Then there came a flash, a shock--and he
remembered nothing more. Where was he now? Had he passed through that
great change called death? By a great effort he opened his eyes, and was
bewildered. He was in a strange room. By an open window sat a young girl.
She had been reading, but the book was now lying idly in her lap, and she
was looking apparently into vacancy. The rays of the setting sun streamed
in through