Bad Hugh

This was their parting, and the doctor left her room a soberer, sadder

man than he had entered it. Half an hour later, and he, with Anna, was

fast nearing Versailles, where they were joined by Mr. Millbrook, and

together the three started on their homeward route.

Rapidly the tidings flew, told in a thousand different ways, and the

neighborhood was all on fire with the strange gossip. But little cared

they at Spring Bank for the storm outside, so fierce a one was beating

at their doors, that even the fall of Sumter failed to elicit more than

a casual remark from Hugh, who read without the slightest emotion the

President's call for seventy-five thousand men. Tenderer than a brother

was Hugh to the sick girl upstairs, staying by her so patiently that

none save Alice ever guessed how he longed to be free and join in the

search for Adah. To her it had been revealed by a few words accidentally

overheard. "Oh, Adah, sister, I know that I could find you, but my duty

is here."

This was what he said, and Alice felt her heart throb with increased

respect for the unselfish man, who gave no other token of his impatience

to be gone, but stayed home hour after hour in that close, feverish

room, ministering to all of 'Lina's fancies, and treating her as if no

word of disagreement had ever passed between them. Night after night,

day after day, 'Lina grew worse, until at last, there was no hope, and

the council of physicians summoned to her side said that she would die.

Then Densie softened again, but did not go near the dying one. She could

not be sent away a second time, so she stayed in her own room, which

witnessed many a scene of agonizing prayer, for the poor girl passing so

surely to another world.

"God save her at the last. God let her into heaven," was the burden of

shattered Densie's prayer, while Alice's was much like it, and Hugh,

too, more than once bowed his head upon the burning hands he held, and

asked that space might be given her for repentance, shuddering as he

recalled the time when, like her, he lay at death's door, unprepared to

enter in. Was he prepared now? Had he made a proper use of life and

health restored? Alas! that the answer conscience forced upon him should

have wrung out so sharp a groan. "But I will be," he said, and laying

his own face by 'Lina's, he promised that if God would bring her reason

back, so they could tell her of the untried world her feet were nearing,

he would henceforth be a better man, and try to serve the God who heard

and answered that earnest prayer.