it to it, and now here he
was, and upon his judgment she must rest.

For half an hour she waited in the hall, almost without moving, so
far-reaching did this verdict promise to be. Her anxiety deepened into
fear as Steele came out of the room and walked rapidly towards her.
"He's a very sick man," he burst forth, irritably. "Get him away from
here as quickly as you can--but don't excite him. Don't let him exert
himself at all till you reach a lower altitude. Keep him quiet and
peaceful, and don't let him clog himself up with starchy food--and above
all, keep liquors away from him. He shouldn't have come back here at
all. Brent warned him that he couldn't live up here. Slide him down to
sea-level--if he'll go--and take care of him. His heart will run along
all right if he don't overtax it. He'll last for years at sea-level."

"He hates to leave--he says he won't leave," she explained.

The man of science shrugged his shoulders. "All right! He can take his
choice of roads"--he used an expressive gesture--"up or down. One leads
to the New Jerusalem and is short--as he'll find out if he stays here.
Good-night! I must get that train."

"Wait a minute!" she called after him. "Is there anything I can do? Did
you leave any medicine?"

He turned and came back. "Yes, a temporary stimulant, but medicine is of
little use. If you can get away to-morrow, you do it."

She stood a few minutes at the library door listening, waiting, and at
last (hearing no sound), opened the door decisively and went in.

Haney, ghastly pale, in limp dejection, almost in collapse, was seated
in an easy-chair, with Lucius holding a glass to his lips. He was
stripped to his undershirt and looked like a defeated, gray old
gladiator, fallen helpless in the arena, deserted by all the world save
his one faithful servant--and Bertha's heart was wrenched with a deep
pang of pity and remorse as she gazed at him. The doctor's warning
became a command. To desert him in returning health was bad enough, to
desert him now was impossible.

Running to him, all her repugnance gone, all her tenderness awake, she
put her arm about his shoulders. "Oh, Mart, did he hurt you? Are you
worse?"

He raised dim eyes to her, eyes that seemed already filmed with death's
opaque curtains, but bravely, slowly smiled. "I'm down but not out,
darlin'. That brute of a doctor jolted me hard; I nearly took the
count--but I'm--still in the ring. Harness me up, Lucius. I'll show that