is face away. Quick-sighted that love is,
even to the last! slight as the gesture was, she saw it in an
instant.

'You are not afraid of infection?' she said, faintly. 'I was not.'

Lancelot laughed aloud, as men will at strangest moments, sprung
towards her with open arms, and threw himself on his knees beside
the bed. With sudden strength she rose upright, and clasped him in
her arms.

'Once more!' she sighed, in a whisper to herself, 'Once more on
earth!' And the room, and the spectators, and disease itself faded
from around them like vain dreams, as she nestled closer and closer
to him, and gazed into his eyes, and passed her shrunken hand over
his cheeks, and toyed with his hair, and seemed to drink in magnetic
life from his embrace.

No one spoke or stirred. They felt that an awful and blessed spirit
overshadowed the lovers, and were hushed, as if in the sanctuary of
God.

Suddenly again she raised her head from his bosom, and in a tone, in
which her old queenliness mingled strangely with the saddest
tenderness,--

'All of you go away now; I must talk to my husband alone.'

They went, leading out the squire, who cast puzzled glances toward
the pair, and murmured to himself that 'she was sure to get well now
Smith was come: everything went right when he was in the way.'

So they were left alone.

'I do not look so very ugly, my darling, do I? Not so very ugly?
though they have cut off all my poor hair, and I told them so often
not! But I kept a lock for you;' and feebly she drew from under the
pillow a long auburn tress, and tried to wreathe it round his neck,
but could not, and sunk back.

Poor fellow! he could bear no more. He hid his face in his hands,
and burst into a long low weeping.

'I am very thirsty, darling; reach me--No, I will drink no more,
except from your dear lips.'

He lifted up his head, and breathed his whole soul upon her lips;
his tears fell on her closed eyelids.

'Weeping? No.--You must not cry. See how comfortable I am. They
are all so kind--soft bed, cool room, fresh air, sweet drinks, sweet
scents. Oh, so different from THAT room!'

'What room?--my own!'

'Listen, and I will tell you. Sit down--put your arm under my head-
-so. When I am on your bosom I feel so strong. God! let me last to
tell him all. It was for that I sent for him.'

And then, in broken words, she told him how she had gone up to the
fever patient at Ashy,