ght.

"Here is your gourd, Willie, fresh and cold."

He swallowed the draught eagerly, and his handsome face wore a touching
expression as he smiled and whispered--

"Hush! Jessie is singing under the old magnolia down by the spring. Listen!
'Fairy Belle!' We used to sing that in camp; but nobody sings like Jessie.
So sweet! so sweet!"

He set his teeth hard and shuddered violently, and taking his fingers in
hers she found them clenched.

"Andrew!"

"Here I am, Miss Irene."

"Go upstairs and ask the doctor to come here."

The surgeon came promptly.

"I am afraid he is going into convulsions. What shall I do for him?"

"Yes; just what I have been trying to guard against. I fear nothing will do
any good; but you might try that mixture which acted like a charm on
Leavans."

"Here is the bottle. How much shall I give?"

"A spoonful every half-hour while the convulsions last, if he can swallow
it; it can't possibly do any harm, and may ease his suffering. Poor fellow!
may the vengeance of a righteous God seek out his murderer! I would stay
here with you, Miss Huntingdon, if I could render any service. As it is, I
am more needed upstairs."

The paroxysms were short, but so severe that occasionally she required
Andrew's assistance to hold the sufferer on his cot, and as they grew less
frequent, she saw that his strength failed rapidly. Finally he fell into a
troubled sleep, with one hand clutching her arm.

Nearly an hour passed thus, and the nurse knelt softly beside her charge,
and prayed long and fervently that the soul of the young martyr might find
its home with God, and that his far-off mourning mother might be
strengthened to bear this heavy burden of woe.

As she knelt with her face upturned, a soft, warm palm was laid upon her
forehead, and a low, sweet, manly voice pronounced in benediction--

"May the Lord bless you, Irene, and abundantly answer all your prayers."

She rose quickly, and put out her disengaged hand.

"Oh, Harvey, dear friend! Thank God, I have found you once more."

He lifted the candle and held it near her face, scanning the sculptured
features, then stooped and kissed her white cheek.

"I felt that I could not be mistaken. I heard our soldiers blessing a pale
woman in black, with large eyes bluer than summer skies, and hair that
shone like rays of a setting sun; and I knew the silent, gentle, tireless
watcher, before they told me her name. For many years I have prayed that