The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-11

had grown so thin that he was hardly more than ghost of the man I had seen before and his yellow hair which was grown long, stirred about his face in the draft back against the wall, overwhelmed with awe and as he recognized me he stopped short and the strangely bright eyes flashed upon me. He gestured past me.
 She is here?'
 "'Yes'
 Pity filled me, and with it there blended a vague and deep alarm
 "T must go at once,' he said more te himself than to me.
 .I tempted fate, trembling at my owr bravado.
 "'Come with me to see her. She has not forgotten you, I know.
 "'No,' he unused, breaking in upon me with his heavy voice, she has not forgotten Do you really wish me to come?'
 My throat was dry, but the very danger lured me on: Yes, by all means come. We shall dine together, shall we not?'
 "He struggled against the temptation until saw the tremor of his wasted body Truly he had shrunk to fantom leanness His shoulders, indeed, were still broad, but his coat hung loosely about them, and those strong hands had grown almost spiritually thin. Whatever I might fear in him there certainly was no longer any physical danger yet the man overawed me.
 "He said at length: I shall not come. dare not come Tonight am hardly well enough to take the road, but tomorrow early I shall start away. Arsigny, you need not fear I shall start in the morning by my honor.'
 sThen I said hotly: Sir, what have I to fear?'
 '.He smiled vaguely upon me and my heart grew small and cold within me.
 "To be sure,' he said, What have you to fear? Nevertheless, shall go. But in the morning. Tonight am indisposed'
 .'He seemed, in fact, to be almost reeling with weakness. took his arm and steadied him.
 "'You are ill indeed, Baron,' said, land you must not begin journey upon our &C., count No, if we disturb you we shall move on early in the morning. Tonight l shall take care of you myself. Upon my word, you are a sick man. Has a doctor seen you recently?'
 "T think not
 "T thought not. I've some experience in rough remedies This trouble of yours is fever
 "For though his hand was cold his face was flushed.
 "Yes,' he said, it is fever; it con surnes me-
 And he turned away to end the inter-
 L the corridor, supporting himself against the wall with groping hands
 "fYou will expect me?' I called after him
 .'He returned no answer, and I stood there and watched him out of sight, saying to myself Poor devil, he has not long to live
 "I gave the order for our dinner, and then l returned to Marie She was walk ing the room in the same uneasy excitement which had held her from the moment our carriage stopped before the tavern. Seeing her beauty, and thinking of the wrecked manhood of James Baron, l could not meet her eyes, but picked up a book and com menced to tumble through it's pages When the light hand of Marie fell.upon my shoul- der I started guiltily.
 "She said: Henry, what has happened?'
 sShe read me, l knew, as easily as l could read the book which lay open in my hands. l looked up to her, prepared to lie, but my glance dropped miserably-
 ''She said, and with such eagsrness that I wincheds Henry, look up to ma And when l obeyed, like child, she searched me wistfully with long glance
 "Whom have you seen?"
 "I answered feebly. No one