o lazy, and why she wasted
these lovely summer mornings in-doors instead of running races with
him and Pierre.

No, she was not ill, she assured them, when Mr. Heron and the faithful
Janet came to look after her, and to coax her with all kinds of
dainties; she was only so tired, and would they not talk to her, for
she felt as though she could never sleep enough; and would some one
tell Sir Hugh so when they wrote to him, for he would get no long
letters from her now--she had tried to write, but her hand was too
weak to hold the pen. But for all that she would not own she was ill;
it was only the heat that made her so lazy, she said again and again.
No, they must only tell Sir Hugh that she was very tired.

But when a few more days had passed, Mrs. Heron thought she had been
tired long enough, and sent for Dr. Martin.

He looked very grave when he saw her, and Fay smiled to herself, for
she said, "The time is very near now, and then he thinks that I shall
die."

But Margaret's reproachful speech came back to her--"Would you wish to
die without winning your husband's love?" and to the alarm of the good
housekeeper she suddenly became hysterical and begged her to send for
Sir Hugh.

But her piteous request was forgotten for a time, for before night her
life was in danger.

Hour after hour the desolate young creature looked death in the face
and found him terrible, and called out in her agony that she was
afraid to die unless Hugh would hold her hand; and for many a long day
after that Fay did not see her baby boy, for the least excitement
would kill her, the doctor said, and her only chance was perfect
quiet.

And the urgent letters that were sent did not reach Sir Hugh for a
long time, for he was wandering about Switzerland. He had carelessly
altered his route, and had forgotten to tell Fay so.

But on his homeward route, which was not until the six weeks were
past, he found a budget awaiting him at Interlachen.

Hugh was deeply shocked when he heard of his wife's danger, and blamed
himself for his selfishness in leaving her.

The trip had refreshed him, but the idea of returning home was still
irksome to him. He had enjoyed his freedom from domestic restraint;
and he had planned a longer route, that should end in the Pyramids,
when Fay was well and strong again. It would not matter then; but he
was a brute, he confessed, to have left her just at that time. Then he
added in self-extenuation that he was not q