nees, an exercise upon which the doctor daily insisted, but which
was agony to him. Night after night, sleepless, he waited the coming of
the day. His general health varied but little, but his weakness was
telling upon him. His endurance still held, but it was wearing thin. His
old cheeriness was gone, though he summoned it back now and again with
piteous, spasmodic effort. Hope and despair were fighting together in his
soul, and at that time despair was uppermost. He had set out with a brave
heart, but the goal was still far off, and he was beginning to falter. He
had ceased to make any progress, and the sheer monotony of existence was
wearing him out. The keen, shrewd eyes were dull and listless. At the
opening of the door he did not even turn his head.

And yet it was Anne who entered, Anne with the flush of exercise on her
sweet face, her hands full of Russian violets.

"See how busy I have been!" she said. "I am not disturbing you? You
weren't asleep?"

"I never sleep," he answered, and he did not look at her or the violets;
he kept his eyes upon the ceiling.

She came and sat beside him. "I gathered them all myself," she said.
"Don't you want to smell them?"

He moved his lips without replying, and she leaned down, her eyes full of
the utmost compassionate tenderness and held the violets to him. He
raised a hand with evident effort and fumblingly took her wrist. He
pressed the wet flowers against his face.

"It's a shame to bring them here, Lady Carfax," he said, letting her go.
"Take them--wear them! I guess they'll be happier with you."

She smiled a little. "Should I have gathered all this quantity for
myself? It has taken me nearly an hour."

"You should have told the gardener," he said. "You mustn't go tiring
yourself out over me. I'm not worth it." He added, with that kindly
courtesy of which adversity had never deprived him, "But I'm real
grateful all the same. You mustn't think me unappreciative."

"I don't," she answered gently. "Wouldn't you like them in water?"

"Ah, yes," he said. "Put them near me. I shall smell them if I can't see
them. Do you mind closing the window? I can't get warm to-day."

She moved to comply, passing across his line of vision. A moment she
stood with the keen sweet air blowing in upon her, a tall, gracious
figure in the full flower of comely womanhood, not beautiful, but
possessing in every line of her that queenly, indescribable charm which
is greater than beauty.