sent was his, and it was all he had, perhaps all he ever
would have; and now he would not allow one little joy of it to escape
him. He would be greedy of it and have all the gladness of the moments
as they came.

He could see her down below making ready for their visitors, and he
knew she would not come until the last task was done, but meantime his
patience was wearing away. Aunt Sally finished her work, and David could
see her from where he lay, seated in the doorway with her pipe, looking
out on the gently falling rain.

Without, all was very peaceful; only within himself was turmoil and
impatience. But he knew that to remain calm and unmoved was to keep back
his fever and hasten recuperation, so he closed his eyes and tried to
live for the moment in the remembrance of that awakening when he had
found her kneeling at his side. Thus he dropped to sleep, and again,
when he awoke, he found Cassandra there as if in answer to his silent
call.

She was seated quietly sewing, as if it were no unusual thing for her to
visit him thus, and when his earnest gaze caused her to look up, she
only smiled without perturbation and came to him.

"I sent Aunt Sally down to see mother while I could stay by you and do
for you a little," she said.

Calm and restful she seemed, yet when he extended his free hand and took
hers, he felt a tremor in her touch that delighted his heart. He brought
it to his lips.

"I've been needing you all the morning. Aunt Sally has done
everything--all she could. If I should let you have this hand again,
would you go so far away from me that I could not reach you?"

"Not if you want me near."

"Then put away your sewing and bring your chair close to me, and let us
talk together while we may."

She obeyed and sat looking away from him out through the open door. Were
her eyes searching for the mountain top?

"You have thoughts--sweet, big thoughts, dear girl; put them in words
for me now, while we are so blessedly alone."

"I can't say rightly what I think. Seems like if I had some other
way--something besides words to tell my thoughts with, I could do it
better; but words are all we have--and seems like when I want them most
they won't come."

"That's the way with all of us. Don't you see you are still beyond my
reach? Come. If you can't tell your thoughts in words, give them by the
touch of your hands as you did a moment ago."

She did as he bade her and, leaning forward, took his hand in bo