t
proper, enjoining the strictest quiet, promising to be with him every
moment that his professional engagements permitted. During the whole
Armstrong was passive, yielding himself like a child to all that was
required, and seeming to be in a beatitude, which made whatever might
occur of but little concernment. As the doctor was about leaving,
he accepted of Holden's proposal, which was rather uttered as a
determination, to remain, and send for his son. "If," thought Elmer,
"Holden is Armstrong's brother, he has a right to stay; if not, he has
at least saved Faith's life, as she says herself, and he knows after
all, a 'hawk from a hand-saw.' Young Holden, too, is a sensible
fellow, and I think I may trust them." In some such way thronged the
thoughts through Elmer's mind. "I will," he said to himself, "stop as
I pass Judge Bernard's house, to let Anne know that her friend
Faith is indisposed, and ask her to sleep with her to-night." Such,
accordingly, was, for a short time the composition of the family under
Mr. Armstrong's roof.

Once or twice daring the night Faith started in her sleep, and threw
her arm around her lovely companion, as if to ask for protection, and
Anne heard her moaning something indistinctly; but, on the whole, her
sleep was refreshing, and in the morning she awoke, paler, indeed, and
weaker than common, but with no other signs of illness about her.

"They will soon pass off," said the doctor. "It was a severe shock,
but youth and a good constitution are great odds."

But it was not so with Armstrong. The combined effects of loss of
blood and of the medicines he had taken, were unable to calm the
excitement of the nerves, much less produce drowsiness. All night he
lay with eyes wide open, burning with fever, and calling for drink.
But, although his body suffered, the exaltation of his mind continued
to triumph over pain, and, from the words that escaped him, from time
to time, it would seem as if he felt himself absolutely happy.

When Doctor Elmer came in the morning, and heard the report of Holden,
he expressed no surprise.

"It is as I supposed," he said. "He must have a run of fever, and what
the result may be, no mortal man can divine. Let us hope for the best,
while prepared for the worst."

Faith, from the moment she was permitted, was assiduous by the
bed-side of her father. The delusion with respect to Holden, which had
taken possession of him, whom, while continuing to recognize as