broke in
foam upon the sand, breathing out the mighty saving breath of the sea.
It never occurred to him that he could do anything but remain at his
post and suffer in body and soul and mind, and not complain.

The next morning was terrible. The summer had been one of unusually
fervid heat, but that one day was its climax. David went panting
up-stairs to his room at dawn. He did not wish Sarah Dean to know that
he had sat up all night. He opened his bed, tidily, as was his wont.
Through living alone he had acquired many of the habits of an orderly
housewife. He went down-stairs, and Sarah was in the kitchen.

"It is a dreadful hot day," said she as Daniel approached the sink to
wash his face and hands.

"It does seem a little warm," admitted Daniel, with his studied air of
politeness with respect to the weather as an ordinance of God.

"Warm!" echoed Sarah Dean. Her thin face blazed a scarlet wedge between
the sleek curtains of her dank hair; perspiration stood on her triangle
of forehead. "It is the hottest day I ever knew!" she said, defiantly,
and there was open rebellion in her tone.

"It IS sort of warmish, I rather guess," said Daniel.

After breakfast, old Daniel announced his intention of taking little
Dan'l out for a walk.

At that Sarah Dean fairly exploded. "Be you gone clean daft, Dan'l?"
said she. "Don't you know that it actually ain't safe to take out such a
delicate little thing as that on such a day?"

"Dr. Trumbull said to take her outdoors for a walk every day, rain or
shine," returned Daniel, obstinately.

"But Dr. Trumbull didn't say to take her out if it rained fire and
brimstone, I suppose," said Sarah Dean, viciously.

Daniel looked at her with mild astonishment.

"It is as much as that child's life is worth to take her out such a day
as this," declared Sarah, viciously.

"Dr. Trumbull said to take no account of the weather," said Daniel with
stubborn patience, "and we will walk on the shady side of the road, and
go to Bradley's Brook. It's always a little cool there."

"If she faints away before you get there, you bring her right home,"
said Sarah. She was almost ferocious. "Just because YOU don't feel the
heat, to take out that little pindlin' girl such a day!" she exclaimed.

"Dr. Trumbull said to," persisted Daniel, although he looked a little
troubled. Sarah Dean did not dream that, for himself, Daniel Wise would
have preferred facing an army with banners to going out under t