d
Hosmer knew no more--for a great plunging beam struck him full upon
the forehead.

When consciousness came back to him, he found that he lay extended in
the flat, which was fastened to the shore. The confused sound of many
voices mingled with a ringing din that filled his ears. A warm stream
was trickling down over his cheek. Another body lay beside him. Now
they were lifting him. Therese's face was somewhere--very near, he saw
it dimly and that it was white--and he fell again into insensibility.

XVI

To Him Who Waits.

The air was filled with the spring and all its promises. Full with the
sound of it, the smell of it, the deliciousness of it. Such sweet air;
soft and strong, like the touch of a brave woman's hand. The air of an
early March day in New Orleans. It was folly to shut it out from nook
or cranny. Worse than folly the lady thought who was making futile
endeavors to open the car window near which she sat. Her face had
grown pink with the effort. She had bit firmly into her red nether
lip, making it all the redder; and then sat down from the
unaccomplished feat to look ruefully at the smirched finger tips of
her Parisian gloves. This flavor of Paris was well about her; in the
folds of her graceful wrap that set to her fine shoulders. It was
plainly a part of the little black velvet toque that rested on her
blonde hair. Even the umbrella and one small valise which she had just
laid on the seat opposite her, had Paris written plain upon them.

These were impressions which the little grey-garbed conventional
figure, some seats removed, had been noting since the striking lady
had entered the car. Points likely to have escaped a man, who--unless
a minutely observant one,--would only have seen that she was handsome
and worthy of an admiration that he might easily fancy rising to
devotion.

Beside herself and the little grey-garbed figure was an interesting
family group at the far end of the car. A husband, but doubly a
father, surrounded and sat upon by a small band of offspring. A
wife--presumably a mother--absorbed with the view of the outside world
and the elaborate gold chain that hung around her neck.

The presence of a large valise, an overcoat, a cane and an umbrella
disposed on another seat, bespoke a further occupant, likely to be at
present in the smoking car.

The train pushed out from the depot. The porter finally made tardy
haste to the assistance of the lady who had been attempting