The record-union., 1892-11-19


she wished?" he asked himselfimpatient
ly, annoyed at not being able to forget
the affair as speedily as he would have
wished. Like most men he had sown his
seed with a careless hand; but the har-
vest was undeslred.
lie hesitated, as they were driving
home, as TO whether he should mention
what had occurred to Angela, or, at least,
/ give her some idea of the intimacy that
had existed between himself and Ida
! Borlase previous to his marriage. At
( present she had no idea that they were
more than ordinary friends. He shrank
from doing so. And when she nestled
close up to him. and in answer to his ten
der inquiries said, Yes, she had enjoyed
herself very, very much, but she was
dreIdlully tired, and her head ached," he
! threw his arm round her and decided
that the prOpitious moment had not ar
rived, and that he was not going to worry
her about anything then.
So, with her head on his shoulder, and
the moon lighting the road before them
until it was nearly as clear as at MONDAY,
| they drove home in almost unbrOken
| silence. " hen they reached the Retreat,
and Angela would have jumped down,
alentine caught her in his arms, and,
/ with q happy laugh, carried her indoors,
! valentine was busy at the Office the
next day, and did not 60 home 10 lunch
/ con, but, as was his custom at such times,
/ sent out for some sandwiches and q small
/ bottle OF Pontiac, and made a hasty meal
| III his own room.
/ He had nearly cleared off all his work,
and was looking forward to getting home
/ early III time for cup of tea with An
/ gela, when one Of his subordinates came
4 IN to say that q kafIir boy was outside
! with message for him.
/ ''Show him in,' he said hastily, with
/ out looking up.
! AZ. I
\ Ill; got fever" came the laconic an
1 nouncement the next moment as the door
closed, and, looking up with a start, he
/ recognized one OF his own boys.
Nv hat did you say?' he almost shouted.
| ~ our mistress is lip" And he spraug
| up from his seat. ''She was all right this
morning."
Then he remembered that she had
! seemed tired and languid; but he had put
/ it down to the heat and the previous
nights dissipation, and without waiting
! for another word took up his hat and
went out.
Stopping the first empty Cape-cart he
met, he got in and told the man to drive
as quickly as he could to DR.. Stannard'S.
| He knew the deadly swiftness Of the
! camp" fever; how in Il few hours II could
| change health into wild delirlum; and he
was anxious to have the doctor on the
! spot as soon as possible. OF course this
might not he a case needing such dis
/ patch-he fervently hoped il was not
/ but he would not run any risk.
Fortunately he found his old friend at
home, and in a few minutes they were on
the road again.
Il am glad you called for me-" said Jim
/ Stannard IN a matter-ot-t;lct tone, for he
saw that Nalentine was terribly nervous
and anxious, though he tried to hide it.
1t IS as well to take it IT, Time, but l do
not suppose there is much cause for
alarm. \ ou know nearly every one has
it one time or another; you are lucky if
you only get it once; and Mrs. Forsyth is
young and-and fairly healthy, / should
think" but with a swift recollection of
tine slender, almost fragile, figure and
delicately fair face, he felt that this was
not the right word to use.
Yes, AS you say, almost every one gets
1t some Tune or another replied \aleu-
tine, but this seemed to HIM poor COM
fort, after all. We may weep with those
that weep, but it is only when our tears
are shed for our own woes that the full
bitterness enters into them.
AS they walked through the dusty gar
den to the hOuse-the sweet-scentad pc
tunias We're blooming gayly and arum
lilies and other choice flowers stood about
in tins on the verauda Just as he had left
them i'll the morning. alenune half eX-
pected to see the pretty, White-rObed
AE
instead, Clara, one Of the house servants,
came to the door with grave face.
"Eow is your mistress ," he asked, and
his lips were 50 dry and there was such a
strange lump in his throat that he could
scarcely speak.
81 am AFRAID she is very i'll, sir" came
the low reply, and without another word
he turned into the bedroom, followed by
DR.. Stannard.
Angela was lying on the bed, her hair
tossed over the pillows, her hands flung
out over the lace coverlet, but for the mo-
ment so quiet, 50 motionless, that she
might have been in a deep sleep. Nalen-
tine stepped strepped softly uD and laid
his hands lightly on one Of hers; it burnt
like tire. That light touch was sufficient
to rouse her. She opened her eyes and
looked round,
angela! Angelal don't you know me,
my darling?" he asked gently, as the
brown eyes, vacant, expressiouless, now,
and burning with the fierce fever light,
looked into his without a glance of recog-
milton. 81 am Valentine and-and-'
here the lump rose in his throat and
threatened to choke him-'I have come
home 10 take care of my little girl"
Jim Stannard put HIM gently on one
side.
Pull yourself together, old man; you
mustn't break down here" he said with
rough kindness, and laying his finger
on Angela's pulse, he looked into her
face with keen professional eyes.
"All the flowers are dead' she mur-
| INJURED softly, ''the hot wind has shriveIed
them up, and it is burning me, too--it is
burning the life out OF me. II He
is like all the other men, she said. Don't
look so miserable, pretty child-fidelity
Is an unknown quantity with q man, at
all eventS-Wlth man. Oh, yes. he was
very fond Of me once upon time; did he
M fpll NIL 81 ,.~l, IL.
too " He might have tranpled
on me, loved him so dearly, and he has
/ trampled on NEON my heart, which was
under his feet; but it is no good, | cannot
keep him; he will 60 away from me soon;
that lovely green and white snake will
win him back. q Poor Val! poor
Val! [ am not angry, dear, only sorry
sorry for you and for-me."
'W hat does this mean-anything ?U
asked Jim Stannard, with averted eyes.
cor is it only delirium?'
Il cannot tell, - said Valentine hoarsely.
"I-' Then he got up from the bed,
where he had sat watching his wife with
agonized eyes, and rang the bell sharply.
Has anyone been here to-day, Clara ?'
he asked when she came to the door.
mo, sir. At least, Mrs. Borlase was
here this morning for little while. The
mistress was lying outside in the ham
mock, and saw her get off her horse as
she was riding past and come up and
speak to her"
''rhank you; that will do.p
When she had gone Valentine looked
across at his friend and their eyes met.
The fiendp ~ he muttered under his
breath. And the doctor nodded assent
ingly.
Hour after hour went by, and the two
watchers still sat in the dimly lighted
room with the windows thrown wide
open to let in the cool night air. Every