d the extreme danger of
any overexertion in such cases, hardly allowed him to lift his head from
the pillow. But his mind was gradually recovering its balance, and he
was able to hold some conversation with those about him. His faithful
Paolo had grown so thin in waiting upon him and watching with him that
the village children had to take a second look at his face when they
passed him to make sure that it was indeed their old friend and no
other. But as his master advanced towards convalescence and the doctor
assured him that he was going in all probability to get well, Paolo's
face began to recover something of its old look and expression, and once
more his pockets filled themselves with comfits for his little circle of
worshipping three and four year old followers.

"How is Mr. Kirkwood?" was the question with which he was always
greeted. In the worst periods of the fever be rarely left his master.
When he did, and the question was put to him, he would shake his head
sadly, sometimes without a word, sometimes with tears and sobs and
faltering words,--more like a brokenhearted child than a stalwart man
as he was, such a man as soldiers are made of in the great Continental
armies.

"He very bad,--he no eat nothing,--he--no say nothing,--he never be no
better," and all his Southern nature betrayed itself in a passionate
burst of lamentation. But now that he began to feel easy about his
master, his ready optimism declared itself no less transparently.

"He better every day now. He get well in few weeks, sure. You see him on
hoss in little while." The kind-hearted creature's life was bound up in
that of his "master," as he loved to call him, in sovereign disregard of
the comments of the natives, who held themselves too high for any such
recognition of another as their better. They could not understand how
he, so much their superior in bodily presence, in air and manner, could
speak of the man who employed him in any other way than as "Kirkwood,"
without even demeaning himself so far as to prefix a "Mr." to it. But
"my master" Maurice remained for Paolo in spite of the fact that all
men are born free and equal. And never was a servant more devoted to a
master than was Paolo to Maurice during the days of doubt and danger.
Since his improvement Maurice insisted upon his leaving his chamber and
getting out of the house, so as to breathe the fresh air of which he was
in so much need. It worried him to see his servant returnin