her fever ran very high, and the
doctor considered her alarmingly ill, yet at the end of that time she
began slowly but surely to mend.

Consciousness returned, and with it the memory of all that had occurred
on that never-to-be-forgotten day, while she talked continually of the
brave young man who had saved her life.

When she was first told that she was in the same house with him, the
rich color suffused her face, and an eager look of interest leaped into
her eyes.

"In his home--am I? How strange!" she murmured; "how did it happen that
I was brought here?"

"Those who found you thought that you were brother and sister," the
nurse told her, thinking it no harm that she should know all the
details, if she did not get excited. "They found you together, one of
his arms clasping you close to him, and both your hands locked about his
neck."

A burning blush shot up to the girl's golden hair at this information.

"He told me to--to cling to him," she said, in a low tone.

"Of course; and it showed his good sense, too, for it was the only thing
that saved your life, dear child," replied the nurse; "and it seemed as
if he had not one thought for himself, then nor since, for his first
question, when the doctor goes to him, is about you."

"How good--how noble of him! and he is so badly hurt, too," Violet said,
tremulously.

"Oh, but he is coming out of it finely," the nurse said, reassuringly.
"There isn't a scratch on his face, and his broken bones are mending
nicely. He is already up and about, though he looks rather peaked, as if
he were still a good deal shaken up over the dreadful tragedy--for I
suppose you know that you and he are the only ones who came out of it
alive."

"Oh! was every one else killed?" said Violet, with a shiver of horror.
"How dreadful!"

She lay there, very quiet and thoughtful, for some time after that, but
by and by she asked:

"Nurse, when may I get up?"

"In a few days, dear, if you continue to improve as you have done during
the last week," the woman replied.

"Then may I see him--Mr. Richardson? I must see him and thank him for
what he has done. Just think--he saved me from getting even a scratch or
a bruise."

"Um!" returned the nurse, pursing up her lips; "your sister, Mrs.
Mencke, has given orders that you are not to receive any visitors while
you are here?"

"Well, of course, and I do not care to see company much until I go home;
but you must let me see Mr. Richardson