d so."

"Stop him, then, and tell him to go to his wife."

Paddy shrugged his shoulders.

"You know what he is."

"Yes," said Marion, bitterly, "I know what he is," and she pointed
towards the couch. "We know what he is. Now go."

"All right; but you want something. They've got some dinner or supper
yonder; come and have a bit."

"No."

"Then I'll have some sent in."

"I don't want anything. Tell them to send something for the doctor."

But almost as she spoke the door was softly opened, and the old
housekeeper appeared with a tray.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

One long dream, in a strangely protracted night, as it appeared to
Chester--a night in which the world seemed to be halting during a
singular delirium. Time stood still apparently for both nurse and
doctor, who hardly left the room, but were waited on by the housekeeper
and the two ladies, who came in and out softly, each offering to take
Marion's place; but she invariably refused.

Nature grew stern at times towards the watchers at the wounded man's
side, and sometimes one, sometimes the other, sank suddenly into a deep
sleep, during which, whether it were one hour or many, the other
remained perfectly awake and watchful.

And day after day, night after night, the dual fight went on--the fight
with death and that with honour. There were times when Fred Chester
seemed to be winning in both encounters, but as often he felt that his
patient was slowly slipping away from him, as he himself was lapsing
from all that he ought to have held dear.

Everything was, in the latter case, against him. Forced into close
contact with the woman who had so strangely influenced him from the
first moment of their meeting, with her eyes constantly seeking his
appealingly as the sufferer's life rose and fell--flickering like the
flame of an expiring candle, he felt that his position was too hard for
man to bear. He owned himself weak, pitiful and contemptible, but as he
struggled on he felt himself drifting hopelessly away, and that, come
what might, he was to become this woman's slave.

One day was like that which followed, in its wild delirium and
strangeness. Chester had almost lost count of the time which had
elapsed, and grew startled at last as the feeling was impressed upon him
that the precautions taken by those around had grown unnecessary and
that if the door had stood open he would not now have attem