aised it and poured the liquid between her lips.
Then he laid her head down again on the pillow and, kneeling beside
her, held her hand in his.
She lay looking up into his face, with an expression of quiet
happiness, occasionally murmuring, "Dear Roger."
Presently her eyelids drooped, and in a few minutes her regular
breathing showed that she was asleep.
The Mexican doctor placed another cup of medicine within Roger's
reach, and murmured in his ear, "I think that she will do now. Give
her this when she awakes. I shall be within call, if I am wanted."
Amenche slept for some hours, and Roger, overcome by want of sleep,
and from the anxiety through which he had passed, dropped off many
times into short dozes.
He woke from one of these at a slight movement of Amenche's hand,
and opened his eyes at the moment that she was opening hers.
"What has happened, Roger? And where am I?" she asked, in wonder.
"First drink this medicine, and then I will tell you," he said.
"You remember, dear, we were in the boat together, and we were
attacked. An arrow struck you, but I knew nothing about it until I
had reached the causeway, and found you senseless, and brought you
here to Malinche's room; and she and one of the doctors of your
country dressed your wound, and now you have been sleeping quietly
for some hours."
"Oh yes," she said, "I remember now. I was struck with an arrow. It
was a sharp pain, but I did not cry out; for you had need of all
your strength and vigor. I lay there quietly, and heard the din of
fighting; and at last, when I knew that you had conquered, I felt a
faintness stealing over me, and thought that I was dying; and then
I remember nothing more, only it seemed that, in my dreams, you
came to me and knelt by the side of me and kissed me; and now I
know that that part is true, and I have been having such happy
dreams, ever since.
"But why should I lie here? Cannot I get up?"
"No, dear. You are weak from loss of blood, and quiet is necessary.
Lie here a minute. I will fetch the leech in, to see how you are."
The Mexican was sleeping on some mats outside the door. He at once
came in and, after examining Amenche, pronounced her decidedly
better. Malinche, who had given orders that she was to be informed
as soon as the princess was awake, came in a minute or two; and a
consultation was held, when it was decided that Amenche should at
once be taken from the fort, which was crowded with soldiers,
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