st won't stand for it. You ought
to know that his father and mother are in disgrace over a great
scandal------"

Esther could not bear any more. She stood up and started to speak, just
as Mrs. Van Shaw came hurrying in with Elijah Clifford. Helen was
looking at Van Shaw with a different look from that which she had given
him when she entered. It seemed as if a veil had been suddenly torn away
from the girl's face and she was seeing something clearly which she had
seen only dimly heretofore.

Before Esther could say what was on her lips, Van Shaw had gone on. But
it was evident to all of them now that he was becoming delirious.

"Bauer hasn't any business to butt into my affairs. He's a sneaking cur.
I won't stand for it. I'll get even with him. I'll tell Miss Douglas
about his family. She'll never look at him again after that. I'll cook
his job."

Mrs. Van Shaw looked uncertainly from one face to another.

"Here's Mr. Clifford, Ross. You wanted to see him."

"Clifford! Clifford!" Van Shaw turned his burning eyes on Clifford, who
stood at the end of the bed gravely looking at him, and for a moment the
delirium cleared and he spoke quietly.

"Oh! I wanted to thank you for pulling me up that cliff. It was a mighty
brave thing to do and I won't forget it."

Elijah Clifford was not a cultured man as the word is ordinarily used,
but he was more than that. He "sensed" things. He knew what to do in
awkward situations. He did not know what had been said before he came
but he saw in one swift glance that matters were in a delicate and
critical state. He also saw in a moment what Van Shaw's condition was.
He was not in a mental attitude to be reasoned with. So Clifford walked
quietly up to the bedside, put one of his strong, firm hands on Van
Shaw's trembling fingers as he had clasped them together and said:

"If I had anything to do with helping to save your life, I am very
thankful the good God used me. But your mother will tell you when you
get well enough to hear it that you owe your life, not to me, but to a
braver man, Felix Bauer. I can't help hoping--" Elijah said it with an
indescribable accent of tenderness--"that when you get well again, you
will make the most of your life to the glory of God!"

For a moment Van Shaw looked up at Clifford in a bewildered manner, but
as if he partly understood. Then he turned his head towards Helen and
his glance wandered uncertainly about the room. Then he burst into a
delir