according to his previous ideas of
frontier rural seclusion--as for instance the Pike County cabin of the
family where he stayed one night, and where the handsome daughter asked
him what his Christian name was. No! These two young women were very
unlike her; they seemed really quite the equals of his family and
friends in England,--perhaps more attractive,--and yet, yes, it was
this very attractiveness that alarmed his inbred social conservatism
regarding women. With a man it was very different; that alert, active,
intelligent husband, instinct with the throbbing life of his saw-mill,
creator and worker in one, challenged his unqualified trust and
admiration.

He had become conscious for the last minute or two of thinking rapidly
and becoming feverishly excited; of breathing with greater difficulty,
and a renewed tendency to cough. The tendency increased until he
instinctively put aside the pan from his lap and half rose. But even
that slight exertion brought on an accession of coughing. He put his
handkerchief to his lips, partly to keep the sound from disturbing the
women in the kitchen, partly because of a certain significant taste
in his mouth which he unpleasantly remembered. When he removed the
handkerchief it was, as he expected, spotted with blood. He turned
quickly and re-entered the house softly, regaining the bedroom without
attracting attention. An increasing faintness here obliged him to lie
down on the bed until it should pass.

Everything was quiet. He hoped they would not discover his absence from
the veranda until he was better; it was deucedly awkward that he should
have had this attack just now--and after he had made so light of his
previous exertions. They would think him an effeminate fraud, these two
bright, active women and that alert, energetic man. A faint color came
into his cheek at the idea, and an uneasy sense that he had been in some
way foolishly imprudent about his health. Again, they might be alarmed
at missing him from the veranda; perhaps he had better have remained
there; perhaps he ought to tell them that he had concluded to take their
advice and lie down. He tried to rise, but the deep blue chasm before
the window seemed to be swelling up to meet him, the bed slowly sinking
into its oblivious profundity. He knew no more.

He came to with the smell and taste of some powerful volatile spirit,
and the vague vision of Mr. Bradley still standing at the window of
the mill and vibratin