and hugging everybody who had put
themselves in the way between him and the fainting girl, and looking
eagerly all around for her, he caught sight of her reclining in her easy
chair.

He made an impetuous dash forward, caught her in his arms, strained her to
his heart, and covered her face with kisses, before he perceived her
condition.

Then he lifted the lifeless form, hurried with it across the room and laid
it on the bed, crushing the orange blossoms on the beautiful bridal dress,
in careless disregard of everything but his sweetheart, and crying out in
dismay:

"Oh, auntie! she has fainted! I took her too suddenly by surprise! And oh!
my darling has fainted for joy!"

CHAPTER XIII

LEONIDAS AND ODALITE

"Dear Leonidas, leave her to me. You know your room, dear boy! Go to it
and call for whatever you want. Jake will wait on you as before you went
away," said Mrs. Force, gently putting the young officer aside and taking
his place next her daughter.

"But Odalite? I--I feel so worried about Odalite!" urged Le.

"Oh, she will rally soon! But you see, dear, we must remove her tight
clothing, and you must leave the room."

"Oh, I see," assented the youth, and he went out.

Wynnette and Elva were waiting for him in the upper hall. They had held
council together and decided not to tell him anything about Col.
Anglesea's and Odalite's engagement.

"For," said canny Wynnette, "perhaps now that Le has come back Odalite may
return to her first love."

And Elva agreed with her.

Now as soon as Le appeared in the hall the two children fell upon him with
the most extravagant welcomes and caresses, and, refusing to be shaken
off, went up with him to his room.

In the meanwhile, in her bedchamber, Mrs. Force was doing all that she
could to restore her daughter.

In a little while Odalite opened her eyes and fixed them full of
unutterable anguish and reproach upon her mother's bending face.

She did not mean to do so. It was the first involuntary expression of her
waking consciousness.

"Oh, do not look at me so, my child! You will break my heart!" moaned
Elfrida Force.

Odalite took her mother's hand and kissed it tenderly; then closed her
eyes and turned away her head.

Presently she said:

"Let no one tell him, mother, until I see him again. I must be the one to
tell him."

"Oh, Odalite! Oh, my child! Would you--would you----" began the lady, in
alarm; but her daughter hastened to allay her f