ty, while thus
reviewing the past, his mind was keenly conscious of the present. In
one corner sat the faithful Mike, while at his feet lay the equally
faithful Rex, who could be neither coaxed nor driven from the room,
but remained quietly watching his master's face, an almost human love
and sorrow looking out of his eyes, as he answered the occasional
moans with a low, piteous whine.

In another corner Everard talked in low tones with the two physicians
who were to remain that night, Mr. Cameron taking cognizance, in the
midst of his own sorrowful thoughts, of every word.

At length some one called for a light, and a moment later, Mr. Cameron
was conscious of a light step crossing the room, and of a lamp being
placed on the table near the physicians, though none of its rays fell
in the direction of the sufferer. Lifting his head, he saw the lamp
with a screen so attached as to throw a shade over almost the entire
room, leaving only a small portion lighted; but within that brightly
illumined portion he had a glimpse, for an instant, of a face, which
with its radiant eyes and its shining aureole of golden hair, was so
nearly a counterpart of the one but just recalled so vividly to his
mind, that it seemed a living reproduction of the same. Only a
glimpse, for as he started, wondering if it could be a figment of his
own imagination, the face suddenly vanished into the shadow, and the
figure glided from the room. Still it haunted him; could there have
been a real resemblance? or was it only a hallucination of his own?

About an hour later, Houston, who had observed his uncle's involuntary
start of surprise on seeing Lyle, and who was anxious that he should
learn the truth as early as possible, slipping his arm within that of
his uncle's, led him out upon the porch, where they lighted their
cigars, smoking for a few moments in silence, then talking together in
low tones of the one so dear to each of them, while Houston related
the details of his first meeting and early acquaintance with the
miner, Jack.

"Even if Guy cannot recover," said Mr. Cameron, in tremulous tones,
when Houston had finished, "Yet if he lives long enough to see and
recognize his mother and myself, and realize our feeling for him--even
then, I shall be more than repaid for your coming out here,--though
all else were lost."

"Indeed you would," responded Houston, "but I cannot help feeling that
Guy's life will be spared, that he will live to bless