River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-02-20

There was another long pause, so
long that Agatha thought James must
have gene to sleep again. He thought
likewise of her. it appeared; for when
he next spoke 1t was in Careful
whisper:
Are you still awake. Agatha Red
monde"
Yes, indeed; quite. Do you want
anything?"
yes, number of things. First,
are you quite recovered from the
trcubie-that nights awful trouble?
He seemed to be wholly lost as to
time. Did you come off without any
serious injury? Do you look like your
self, strong and rosy-cheeked again"
Agatha replied heartily to this, and
her answer appeared to satisfy JAMES
for the moment. Though, she
added, there in the dark, who can
tell whether I have rosy cheeks or
not?"
"True!" sighed James, but his sigh
was not an unhappy one. Presently
he began once more: Il want to
know, too, If you weren't surprised
| that | knew your name?
We'll, yes a little, when / had time
20 think about it. How did you know
it?"
| James laughed. ! meant to keep
it a secret, always; but | guess III
tell, after ADJUST you. / got it from
the program, that Sunday, you know. T"
"Ah, yes, / understand" She
didn't quite understand, at first; for
there had been other Sundays and
other songs. But she could not weary
him now with questions.
| AS they lay there the slow, monoto-
nous susurrus of the sea made deep
accompaniment to their words. 1t
was near, and yet UNNECESSARILY far
| filling the universe with It's soft but
| insiStent sound and echoes Of sound.
At the back of her mind, Agatha
heard it always, low, threatening, and
| strong; but on the surface OF her
thoughts, she was trying to decide
what she ought to do. She was
| thinking whether she might question
her companion a little concerning
himself, when he answered her, in
part, of his own accord.
'You couldn't know who ! am, Of
course: James Hambleton, of Lynn.
Jim, Jimmy, Jimsy, Bud-Pm called
most anything But wanted to tell
yod-in fact, that's what | walked up
| expressly for-I wanted to tell you
He paused so long, that Agatha
fru IN faro
| The violence of the chill had passed.
| His eyes were wide open, his face
alarnlingly pale She felt sudden
qualm of pain, lest illness and ex-
| haustion had wrought havoc in his
| frame deeper than she knew But as
she bent over him, his features light
ed up with his rare smile-an express
sion full of happiness and peace. He
lifted hand, feebly, and she took
1t in both her own. She felt that
thus, hand in hand, they were nearer;
that thus she could better be of help
to him.
II wanted to tell you he began
again, ''that whatever happens, I'm
glad did it.
did what, dear friend?" Ques-
toned Agatha, thinking in her heart
that the fever had set his wits to
| wandering.
"Glad / followed the Face and the
Voice." he answered feebly. Agatha
watched him closely, torn with ankle
| ty. She couldn't bear to see him
suffer-thfs man who had SO suddenly
become friend, who had been SO
brave and unselfish for her sake, who
| had been so cheerful throughout their
night of trouble.
81 told old Aleck," James went on,
chat I'd have to jump the fence; but
that was ages ago. I've been har-
I'd gone to sleep, sure enough" Aga
tina thought certainly that now he
was delirious, but she had no heart
to stop his gentle earnestness. He
went on: "But you woke me up.
And I wouldn't have missed this last
run, not for anything. Twas a great
night, that night on the water, with
you; and whatever happens, 1 shall
always think that worth living for;
yes, we'll worth living for"
James voice died away into inco-
herence and at last into silence.
Agatha, holding his hands in hers,
watched him as he sank away from
her into some realm whittier she
could not follow Either his hour of
sanity and calmness had passed, and
fever had taken hold upon his sys-
TEN; or fatigue, mental and physical,
had overpowered him once more.
Presently she dropped his hand gen.
thy. looked to the coverings of his
couch, and settled herself down again
to rest.
But no more sleep came to her
eyes that night. She thought over all
that James had said, remembering
his words wildly. Then her thoughts
went back over the years, recalling
she knew not what irrelevant mat
ters from the past. Perhaps by some
underlying law of association, there
came to her mind, also, the words Of
the song she had sung on the Sunday
which James had referred to-
Free of my pain, free of my burden
nj SORROW