Whenthedoctormadehisreappearanceitwastosaythathispatientwasbeingundressedandputtobedbyhisnegroservant，who，however，wouldreturnwiththedoctorto-night，butthatthepatientwouldbeleftwitheverythingthatwasnecessary，andthathewouldrequirenoattentionfromthefamilyuntilthenextday。
Indeed，itwasbetterthatheshouldremainundisturbed。Asthedoctorconfinedhisconfidencesandinstructionsentirelytothephysicalconditionoftheirguest，Mrs。Riversfounditawkwardtopressotherinquiries。
“Ofcourse，“shesaidatlasthesitatingly，butwithacertainprimnessofexpression，“Mr。Hamlinmustexpecttofindeverythinghereverydifferentfromwhatheisaccustomedto——atleastfromwhatmyhusbandsaysarehishabits。“
“Nobodyknowsthatbetterthanhe，Mrs。Rivers，“returnedthedoctorwithanequallymarkedprecisionofmanner，“andyoucouldnothaveaguestwhowouldbelesslikelytomakeyouremindhimofit。“
Alittleannoyed，yetnotexactlyknowingwhy，Mrs。Riversabandonedthesubject，andasthedoctorshortlyafterwardsbusiedhimselfinthecareofhispatient，withwhomheremaineduntilthehourofhisdeparture，shehadnochanceofrenewingit。Butashefinallyshookhandswithhishostandhostess，itseemedtoherthatheslightlyrecurredtoit。“Ihavethegreatesthopeofthecurativeeffectofthiswonderfullocalityonmypatient，butevenstillmoreofthebeneficialeffectofthecompletechangeofhishabits，hissurroundings，andtheirinfluences。“Thenthedoorclosedonthemanofscienceandthegrizzlednegroservant，thenoiseofthecarriagewheelswasshutoutwiththesongofthewindinthepinetops，andtheranchoofWindyHillpossessedMr。JackHamlininpeace。Indeed，thewindwasnowfalling，aswasitscustomatthathour，andthemoonpresentlyaroseoverahushedandsleepinglandscape。
Fortherestoftheeveningthesilentpresenceintheroomaboveaffectedthehousehold；thehalf-curiousservantsandranchhandsspokeinwhispersinthepassages，andateveningprayers，inthediningroom，SethRivers，kneelingbeforeandbowedoverarush-
bottomedchairwhoselegswereclutchedbyhisstronghands，included“thestrangerwithinourgates“inhisregularsupplications。Whenthehourforretiringcame，Seth，withacandleinhishand，precededhiswifeupthestaircase，butstoppedbeforethedooroftheirguest’sroom。“Ireckon，“hesaidinterrogativelytoMrs。Rivers，“Ioughterseeefhe’swantin’
anythin’？“
“Youheardwhatthedoctorsaid，“returnedMrs。Riverscautiously。
Atthesametimeshedidnotspeakdecidedly，andthefrontiersman’sinstinctofhospitalityprevailed。Heknockedlightly；therewasnoresponse。Heturnedthedoorhandlesoftly。
Thedooropened。Afaintcleanperfume——anodorofsomegeneralpersonalityratherthananyparticularthing——stoleoutuponthem。
ThelightofSeth’scandlestruckafewglintsfromsomecut-glassandsilver，thecontentsoftheguest’sdressingcase，whichhadbeencarefullylaidoutuponasmalltablebyhisnegroservant。
TherewasalsoarefinedneatnessinthedispositionofhisclothesandeffectswhichstruckthefeminineeyeofeventhetidyMrs。
Riversassomethingnewtoherexperience。Sethdrewnearerthebedwithhisshadedcandle，andthen，turning，beckonedhiswifetoapproach。Mrs。Rivershesitated——butforthenecessityofsilenceshewouldhaveopenlyprotested——butthatprotestwasshutupinhercompressedlipsasshecameforward。
Foraninstantthatawewithwhichabsolutehelplessnessinveststhesleepinganddeadwasfeltbybothhusbandandwife。Onlytheupperpartofthesleeper’sfacewasvisibleabovethebedclothes，heldinpositionbyathinwhitenervoushandthatwasencircledatthewristbyaruffle。Sethstared。Shortbrowncurlsweretumbledoveraforeheaddampwiththedewsofsleepandexhaustion。
Butwhatappearedmoresingular，theclosedeyesofthisvesselofwrathandrecklessnesswerefringedwithlashesaslongandsilkyasawoman’s。ThenMrs。Riversgentlypulledherhusband’ssleeve，andtheybothcreptbackwithagreatersenseofintrusionandevenmorecautiouslythantheyhadentered。Nordidtheyspeakuntilthedoorwasclosedsoftlyandtheywerealoneonthelanding。
Sethlookedgrimlyathiswife。
“Don’tlookmuchezefhecouldhurtanybody。“
“Helookslikeasickman，“returnedMrs。Riverscalmly。
Theunconsciousobjectofthiscriticismandattentionsleptuntillate；sleptthroughthestirofawakenedlifewithinandwithout，throughthechallengeofearlycocksinthelean-toshed，throughthecreakingofdepartingoxteamsandthelazy，long-drawncommandsofteamsters，throughtheregularstrokesofthemorningpumpandthesplashofwateronstones，throughthefar-offbarkingofdogsandthehalf-intelligibleshoutsofranchmen；sleptthroughthesunlightonhisceiling，throughitsslowdescentofhiswall，andawokewithitinhiseyes！Hewoke，too，withadelicioussenseoffreedomfrompain，andofevendrawingalongbreathwithoutdifficulty——twofactssomarvelousanddreamlikethathenaturallyclosedhiseyesagainlestheshouldwakentoaworldofsufferinganddyspnoea。Satisfiedatlastthatthisreliefwasreal，heagainopenedhiseyes，butuponsurroundingssostrange，sowildlyabsurdandimprobable，thatheagaindoubtedtheirreality。Hewaslyinginamoderatelylargeroom，primlyandseverelyfurnished，buthisattentionwasforthemomentrivetedtoagiltframeuponthewallbesidehimbearingthetext，“GodBlessOurHome，“andthenonanotherframeontheoppositewallwhichadmonishedhimto“WatchandPray。“Besidethemhunganengravingofthe“RaisingofLazarus，“andaHogarthianlithographof“TheDrunkard’sProgress。“Mr。Hamlinclosedhiseyes；hewasdreamingcertainly——notoneofthosewild，fantasticvisionsthathadsomiserablyfilledthepastlongnightsofpainandsuffering，butstilladream！Atlast，openingoneeyestealthily，hecaughttheflashofthesunlightuponthecrystalandsilverarticlesofhisdressingcase，andthatflashatonceilluminatedhismemory。HerememberedhislongweeksofillnessandthedevotionofDr。
Duchesne。Herememberedhow，whenthecrisiswaspast，thedoctorhadurgedacompletechangeandabsoluterest，andhadtoldhimofasecludedranchoinsomeremotelocalitykeptbyanhonestWesternpioneerwhosefamilyhehadattended。Herememberedhisownreluctantassent，impelledbygratitudetothedoctorandthehelplessnessofasickman。Henowrecalledthewearyjourneythither，hisexhaustionandthesemi-consciousnessofhisarrivalinabewilderingwindonashadowyhilltop。Andthiswastheplace！
Heshiveredslightly，andduckedhisheadunderthecoveragain。
Butthebrightnessofthesunandsomeexhilaratingqualityintheairtemptedhimtohaveanotheroutlook，avoidingasfaraspossiblethegrimlydecoratedwalls。Iftheyhadonlylefthimhisfaithfulservanthecouldhaverelievedhimselfofthatmischievousbadinagewhichalwaysalternatelyhorrifiedanddelightedthatdevotednegro。Buthewasalone——absolutelyalone——inthisconventicle！
Presentlyhesawthedooropenslowly。Itgaveadmissiontothesmallroundfaceandyellowringletsofalittlegirl，andfinallytoherwholefigure，claspingadollnearlyaslargeasherself。
Foramomentshestoodthere，arrestedbythedisplayofMr。
Hamlin’sdressingcaseonthetable。Thenherglancesmovedaroundtheroomandresteduponthebed。HerblueeyesandMr。Hamlin’sbrownonesmetandmingled。Withoutamoment’shesitationshemovedtothebedside。Takingherdoll’shandsinherown，shedisplayeditbeforehim。
“Isn’titpitty？“
Mr。Hamlinwasinstantlyhisoldselfagain。Thrustinghishandcomfortablyunderthepillow，helayonhissideandgazedatitlongandaffectionately。“Inever，“hesaidinafaintvoice，butwithimmovablefeatures，“sawanythingsoperfectlybeautiful。Isitalive？“
“It’sadolly，“shereturnedgravely，smoothingdownitsfrockandstraighteningitshelplessfeet。Thenseizedwithaspontaneousidea，likeayounganimalshesuddenlypresentedittohimwithbothhandsandsaid，——
“Kissit。“
Mr。Hamlinimplantedachastesaluteonitsvermilioncheek。
“Wouldyoumindlettingmeholditforalittle？“hesaidwithextremediffidence。
Thechildwasdelighted，asheexpected。Mr。Hamlinplaceditinasittingpostureontheedgeofhisbed，andputanostentatiouspaternalarmaroundit。
“Butyou’realive，ain’tyou？“hesaidtothechild。
Thissubtlewitticismconvulsedher。“I’malittlegirl，“shegurgled。
“Isee；hermother？“
“Ess。“
“Andwho’syourmother？“
“Mammy。“
“Mrs。Rivers？“
Thechildnoddeduntilherringletswereshakenonhercheek。
Afteramomentshebegantolaughbashfullyandwithrepression，yetasMr。Hamlinthoughtalittlemischievously。Thenashelookedatherinterrogativelyshesuddenlycaughtholdoftheruffleofhissleeve。
“Oo’sgotonmammy’snighty。“
Mr。Hamlinstarted。Hesawthechild’sobviousmistakeandactuallyfelthimselfblushing。Itwasunprecedented——itwasthesheerestweakness——itmusthavesomethingtodowiththeconfoundedair。