nows nothing of it all! Nothing. You have seen him, and you
know how little he is able now to cope with a difficulty. The very sense
that his faculties are not what they were overcomes him, even to tears."

Up to this she had spoken with a calm firmness that had lent a touch of
almost sternness to her manner, but at the mention of her poor father's
condition, her courage gave way, and she turned away and hid her face,
but her convulsed shoulders showed how her emotion was overcoming her.
I went towards her, and took her hand in both my own. She left it to me
while I kissed it again and again.

"Oh, Sara," I whispered rather than spoke, "if you knew how devoted I am
to you, if you knew how willingly I would give my very life for you, you
would not think yourself friendless at this hour. Your trust in me has
made me forget how lonely I am, and how humble,--to forget all that
separates us, even to telling that I love you. Give me one word--only
one--of hope; or if not that, let your dear hand but close on mine, and
I am yours forever."

She never spoke, however, and her cold fingers returned no pressure to
mine.

"I love you; I love you!" I muttered, as I covered her hand with kisses.

"There! Do you not hear?" cried she, suddenly. "My father is calling
me."

"Sara, Sara! Where is Sara?" cried the old man, in a weak, reedy voice.

"I am coming, dear father," said she. "Good-bye, Digby; remember that I
trust you!"

[Illustration: 612]

She waved me a farewell, and, with a faint, sad smile, she moved away.
As she reached the door, however, she turned, and, with a look of kindly
meaning, said, "Trust you in all things."

I sprang forward to clasp her to my heart; but the door closed on her,
and I was alone.

CHAPTER XXV. "ON THE ROAD" IN CROATIA

I passed half the night that followed in writing to my mother. It was a
very long epistle, but, in my fear lest, like so many others, it should
not ever reach her, it was less expansive and candid than I could have
wished. Sara's name did not occur throughout, and yet it was Sara's
image was before me as I wrote, and to connect my mother in interest for
Sara was my uppermost thought. Without touching on details that might
awaken pain, I told how I had been driven to attempt something for my
own support, and had not failed.

"I am still," I wrote, "where I started, but in so far a different
position that I am now well looked on and trusted, and at this moment
ab