feared to
waken her from her unconsciousness. It was evident that she accepted him
as a simple fact. He had come and here he was. If he helped her to take
care of the baby it was all right and she was glad. Not a scruple as to
the acceptance of the help had occurred to her. He saw this and was too
thankful for it not to be willing to take precautions against
interrupting this most satisfactory course of things.

The child would die, he felt sure of that, and his heart quivered to
think how she would suffer. And who was there to help her to bear it? He
almost wished he was in truth her brother, that his might naturally be
that right; almost, but not quite. Well, he wished a great many vain and
useless things as he sat there opposite to her, conscious that she had
forgotten him. He moved, and even coughed, but she took no notice. The
baby's little mouth twitched slightly and her whole being became acutely
conscious. She changed its position and words of passionate lovingness
crowded upon her lips. But instead of responding to them, it began to
whimper fretfully--a sound that brought a spasm of positive anguish
across her face.

"There, then, mother's little dear lamb that mother has hurt and
troubled! Mother loves her little man, and he'll get well and make poor
mother happy again--won't he?"

It was some time before the child could be quieted. The peevish little
whine almost angered Noel when he saw how it was cutting into
Christine's heart. In the hope of diverting the baby he put out his hand
and began to snap his fingers softly in front of its face. There was a
ring on the hand that sparkled, and the baby saw it and stretched out
his little hand toward it. A gleam of pure delight came into the
mother's face.

"He hasn't noticed anything for days," she said, catching Noel's hand
in an ardent grasp and holding it so that the baby could see the ring.
He felt her fingers close upon it almost lovingly. He knew she could
have kissed it, because it had for that second been of interest to her
child--and with no knowledge that it was in any way different from the
ring upon it. When the baby turned away from it fretfully she let it
drop.

At last the little invalid went to sleep in Christine's lap. The boat,
which was not to land but went only for the excursion on the water, had
turned and they were going back toward the city. The breeze that played
around Christine's bent head blew little curly strands about her face
a