ngered
from that passing moment on her lips. "Happy," she had said. What
did she mean by that "Happy"? As I asked myself I heard a cry. The
companion who had been with her had rushed in at the doorway, and
was gazing in sorrow and amazement at the white form lying
outstretched and senseless against that farther wall.

"Oh," she cried, in a tone that assured me she had not seen the dog
lying in his blood at my back; "dead already? dead at the first
glance? at the first word? Ah, she knew better than I, poor lamb. I
thought she would get well if she once got home. She wearied so for
you, sir, and for Homewood!"

I thought myself quite mad; past understanding aright the words
addressed to me.

"She wearied--" I began.

"With all her soul for you and Homewood," the young woman repeated.
"That is, since her illness developed."

"Her illness?"

"Yes, she has been ill ever since she went away. The cold of that
first journey was too much for her. But she kept up for several
weeks--doing what no other woman ever did before with so little
strength and so little hope. Danced at night and--"

"And--and--what by day, what?" I could hardly get the words out of
my mouth.

"Studied. Learned what she thought you would
like--French--music--politics. It was to have been a surprise. Poor
soul! it took her very life. She did not sleep--Oh, sir, what is
it?"

I was standing over her, probably a terrifying figure. Lights were
playing before my eyes, strange sounds were in my ears, everything
about me seemed resolving itself into chaos.

"What do you mean?" I finally gasped. "She studied--to please _me_?
Why did she come back, then, so soon--" I paused, choked. I had
been about to give away my secret. "I mean, why did she come thus
suddenly, without warning me of what I might expect? I would have
gone--"

"I told her so; but she was very determined to come to you
herself--to this very pavilion. She had set the time later, but
this morning the doctor told her that her symptoms were alarming,
and without consulting him or heeding the advice of any of us, she
started for home. She was buoyant on the way, and more than once I
heard her softly repeating your name. Her heart was very
loving--Oh, sir, you are ill!"

"No, no," I