ll you were better. You surely are?" she added, as a second glance
showed to her the indescribable change which had come upon the face
which at first seemed to have both light and color in it.

"Uncle says not, but I think he is mistaken, because the agony is all
gone, and except for this odd sinking now and then, I don't feel so much
amiss," he answered feebly but with something of the old lightness in
his voice.

"You will hardly be able to sail in the Rajah, I fear, but you won't
mind waiting a little while we nurse you," said poor Rose, trying to
talk on quietly, with her heart growing heavier every minute.

"I shall go if I'm carried! I'll keep that promise, though it costs
me my life. Oh, Rose! You know? They've told you?" And, with a sudden
memory of what brought him there, he hid his face in the pillow.

"You broke no promise, for I would not let you make one, you remember.
Forget all that, and let us talk about the better time that may be
coming for you."

"Always so generous, so kind!" he murmured, with her hand against
his feverish cheek; then, looking up, he went on in a tone so humbly
contrite it made her eyes fill with slow, hot tears.

"I tried to flee temptation I tried to say 'no,' but I am so pitiably
weak, I couldn't. You must despise me. But don't give me up entirely,
for if I live, I'll do better. I'll go away to Father and begin again."

Rose tried to keep back the bitter drops, but they would fall, to hear
him still speak hopefully when there was no hope. Something in the mute
anguish of her face seemed to tell him what she could not speak, and a
quick change came over him as he grasped her hand tighter, saying in a
sharp whisper: "Have I really got to die, Rose?"

Her only answer was to kneel down and put her arms about him, as if she
tried to keep death away a little longer. He believed it then, and lay
so still, she looked up in a moment, fearing she knew not what.

But Charlie bore it manfully, for he had the courage which can face a
great danger bravely, though not the strength to fight a bosom sin and
conquer it. His eyes were fixed, as if trying to look into the unseen
world whither he was going, and his lips firmly set that no word of
complaint should spoil the proof he meant to give that, though he had
not known how to live, he did know how to die. It seemed to Rose as
if for one brief instant she saw the man that might have been if early
training had taught him how to rule himse