rs and still there was no indication that my dear
Christopher realized that I was near him, bending over him, praying for
him. He turned uneasily in his fever and now and then cried out with a
great effort in his delirium; but he never spoke my name or made any
reference to his love for me. It was heartbreaking to be there beside
him and yet to feel myself so far away from him.

At about eleven the doctor saw that a change was coming and warned me
that there would be a lucid interval which would precede the final
crisis.

"Within an hour we shall know what to expect," he said. "Either your
friend will begin to improve--his heart action will be stronger, his
breathing easier, or--he will sink into a state of coma and--" the
doctor finished his sentence with an ominous gesture. "You must have
courage, dear lady. The balance of his life may be turned by you--either
way. It will be a shock for him to see you here, a great shock. I cannot
tell how that shock may affect him. It may save him, it may destroy him.
No man of science in my place would take the responsibility of saying to
you that you must or must not show yourself to this man at this moment.
You must take the responsibility for yourself--and for him."

"I understand, doctor," I said. "I will take the responsibility."

Again we waited in anguished silence, and soon the change came just as
the doctor said it would. Christopher's eyes opened naturally and I saw
that the glassy stare had gone out of them. He knew where he was, he
knew what he was saying, he would recognize me, if he saw me; but I drew
back into the shadows of the room where I could watch him without being
seen. I wanted to think what I must do.

Christopher beckoned Seraphine and the doctor to come close to him.

"I want you to write something for me," he said in weak tones but quite
distinctly to Seraphine. "I may not come out of this. I--I don't care
very much whether I do or not, but--get some paper--please--and a
pencil. The most important thing is about my money--all that I
have--everything in the world, understand? I--I leave it all to the only
woman I have ever loved--or ever could love--Penelope Wells."

When he had said this he settled back on the pillow and breathed heavily
but with a certain sense of relief, as if his mind was now at rest. I
bit my lip until my teeth cut into it to keep myself from crying out.

"You are both witnesses to this--to what I have said--you've written it