Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-04-06

course, it's no matter. he broke off rather huffily. Darrell laid aside his pipe-it had been out for some timc-and rose to his feet. The freight flashed full on his face, and Carruthers exclaimed hastily:
 s'I say old chap, arc you ill?'' By love! you look uncommonly queerw
 "Ill-no," said the other, speaking seemingly with an effort. ''Pve felt rather done up all day, though, some how. think I'll go to bed"
 Leslie noticed next morning that Dar- rell was unusually silent, even for him, and he was never tall1ative fellow. She also noticed that his breakfast con- sisted of half a cup of coffee and nothing more. They breakfasted in the sitting room that morning, for the kitchen chimney had taken to smoking violently.
 "I say, Lance," said Carruthers, when the meal was over, and Leslie had fitted away to the kitchen, 'are you afraid of the provisions giving out altogether, that you took no breakfast? We've still enough for a day or two. Miss Heath found two more tins of tongue this morn ing"
 s'No, it isn't that" said Darrell, who was leaning back in his chair, looking wretchedly white and i'll. "But l have a most internally sore throat, and feel so completely done up can scarcely move. Don't worry me, there's a good fellow. And don't say anything to Miss Heath"
 But Miss Heath saw for herself that Darrell was looking very ill, and that as the day advanced he looked worse. His voice, too. grew hoarse and thick, and finally almost inaudible.
 "You have got shocking cold, have you not?' she said, looking down at him anxiously as he sat shivering over the fire in the winter dusk.
 "Yes. suppose have," he answered, trying to smile. II feel regularly floored."
 Some hours later, when Leslie had left the room to see about supper, Darrell rose suddenly.
 s:I say, Gilbert" he said faintly, ssI can't sit up any longer. I feel awfully ill; and 1 don't want any supper. Make my excuses to Miss Heath, will you?"
 "Poor old chap! you do look bad, said Carruthers in a concerned voice, "Is it your throat?"
 
 "Have some brandy" suggested the other.
 ''No, thanks. I can't swallow any thing" And he went languidly out of the room.
 So Gilbert and Leslie had tete-a-tete dinner, and rather silent one.
 Darrell was very ill all night, and in the morning was quite unfit to leave his bed.
 ''I can't get him to take anything" said Carruthers to Leslie, after breakfast. ''I tried to give him a teaspoonful of brandy-he's been so sick, you know; but don't think he can swallow at all now. And he seems so awfully weak; he can hardly lift his head. can't un- derstand his losing strength so in the time."
 ''I hope it is not diphtheria, said Les lie, speaking almost in whisper, and turning very pale. "It begins just in that way. And it is such a swift, insid- ious thing. had a cousin who died of it; and she was only ill few days"
 ''I don't know what it is," said Car ruthers gloomily. II don't like his looks, anyway. His throat has been bad for some.days, he says. but ho thought it would pass off,"
 "I say, old fellow" muttered Darrell late that night, when the other had been vainly persuading him to have a spoon full of timed soup he had heated fol him, ''Aeep away from mo as much as you can. I know what this is now It's diphtheria, and it's horribly infec tious."
 "Oh, no, it isn't, old man; it's just a bac cold, you know" said Carruthers hastily But he felt more alarmed at Darrell'l looks than he would have cared to own and, as matter of fact, he was begin ming to feel queer enough himself, fol his own throat was just sufficiently pain full to render swallowing very disagree able necessity, and his limbs felt as tiree and heavy as though he had been walk ing for days.
 II wish there was anything I coult do," he went on in a troubled voice.
 The other smiled faintly. 1 "Leave mo alone, there's good olt chap" he said, wearily and indistinctly "It's no use. don't think I shall se another night. This sort of thing lose no time, you know"
 II wish you wouldn't talk like that ,Da1 rell," remonstrated Carruthers. "Why we'll have you as we'll as ever in a coupl of days" he added, with poor attemp at cheerfulness.
 In the morning, however, Darrell coul not speak above whisper, and hardl that. He was not unconscious, but ut terly prostrate and powerless. He shoo his head when Carruthers brought him cup of coffee, and altogether seemed 8 far through that the other went back the sitting room with terribly anxiou look in his bonnie blue eyes and 8 GU rious, unwonted tightening at his heart For they had been friends, indeed a most brothers, since their school days.
 Leslie looked up quickly as he entered
 ''How is he?' she asked in voice ths shook perceptibly.
 s'Very bad," was tho brief answer.
 ''Is he worse, do you think?" she ia tered.
 T "He's about as bad as he can be-" b answered in choked voice. He bit hi