t say a word till I come
back. I'm going to bring cousin Marjorie to you." Then she slipped away
out of the room.

"Doctor," said the Squire in a shaky voice, "we had aa better gang awa
oot o' the room till the meetin's owre." So the three men withdrew to
the hall as the two Marjories entered.

"Eugene," whispered little Marjorie, "have you been good while I was
away, and not spoken?"

"Not a word, Marjorie," breathed rather than spoke the enfeebled lawyer.

"I have brought cousin Marjorie to you. You must be very good, and do
all she says. Give me your hand." She took the limp hand, with the ring
on the little finger, and placed it in her cousin's; then, with a
touching little sigh, departed, leaving the two alone. Their hands lay
clasped in one another, but they could not speak. His eyes were upon
her, all the fierce light of delirium out of them, in spite of the fever
that was burning in every limb, resting upon her face in a silly wistful
way, as if he feared the vision was deceptive, or his prize might vanish
at any moment. At last she asked: "Do you know me, Mr. Coristine?" and
he murmured: "How could I help knowing you?" But, in a minute, he
commanded himself, and said: "It is very kind of you to leave your
friends and come to a stupid sick man. It is too much trouble, it is not
right, please go away."

"Look me straight in the face, Eugene," said Miss Carmichael, with an
effort. "Now, tell me, yes or no, nothing more, mind! Am I to go away?"
As she asked the question, her face bent towards that of the sufferer,
over which there passed a feeble flush, poor insufficient index of the
great joy within, and then, as they met, his half-breathed answer was
"No." She commanded silence, shook up his pillows, bathed his forehead,
and in many ways displayed the stolen ring. He saw it, and, for the
first time, perceived the change on his own hand. Then, she ordered him
to go to sleep, as if he were a child, smoothing his hair and chanting
in a low tone a baby's lullaby, until tired nature, with a heart at
peace, became unconscious of the outer world and slumbered sweetly. On
tiptoe, she stole to the door, and found many waiting in the hall for
news. Proudly, she called the doctor in and showed him his patient, in
his right mind and resting. "Thank God!" said the good man, "he is
saved. We must come and relieve you now, Miss Carmichael." But she
answered: "No, my place is here. If I want assistance I will call my
uncle