David is quite surprising," she said in one of her letters. "Even
Dr. Hewlitt seems astonished. He is able to be out in his bath-chair
every day, and on sunny afternoons he spends hours on the balcony. Mr.
Carlyon is always with him. It is beautiful to see their devotion to
each other. They seem to think alike on every subject. He and Elizabeth
read aloud by turns, and I like to take my work there and listen to
them."

"A happy family party," thought Malcolm a little bitterly, as he put
down the letter. Even now he could have found it in his heart to envy
his rival; but the next moment he dismissed the unworthy thought.

But it was only a temporary rally. Dr. Hewlitt told Dinah privately one
day that there was no real improvement in the patient's condition, and
that at any time there might be a sudden change for the worse; when
they least expected it, haemorrhage or collapse might set in. And the
doctor's fears were verified.

One day, late in March, David seemed unusually well. A gale had blown
all night, but towards morning the wind had lulled and a heavy rain had
set in, and David had expressed some disappointment at having to remain
indoors; but Mr. Carlyon, who considered himself weather-wise, assured
him that the weather would improve later.

The gale had disturbed Elizabeth, and she had found it impossible to
sleep for hours, and when she rose the next morning she felt unusually
weary and depressed. A strange foreboding--a sense of separation and
loss--seemed to oppress her, and no efforts on her part could enable
her to maintain her wonted cheerfulness. Her dejection was so evident
that David noticed it at last, and when Mr. Carlyon had put on his old
mackintosh and gone out for a blow on the parade, he gently rallied her
on her depression.

"What is it, dearest?" he asked rather anxiously. "You are not your
bright self this morning. You are so good and unselfish, darling, that
you never let me see when you are unhappy, but to-day you cannot hide
it from me." Then he took her hands and held them so that he could see
her face.

"I do not know what has come over me," returned Elizabeth in a mournful
voice, "but all night long and this morning my heart has felt as heavy
as lead." Great tears welled in her eyes, and she suddenly laid her
head down on his shoulder. "Oh, David--David, if I could only go too;
life will be so long and difficult without you." He stroked her hair
for a few minutes without speaking