Nell of Shorne Mills

"Luce!"

It was a strange name--the name of a woman, of course. Nell wondered

whether it was his sister--or sweetheart? Perhaps it was his wife?

She waited for some minutes; then she woke Molly, and returned to her

own room.

Drake Vernon was unconscious for some days, and Nell often stole in and

stood beside the bed; sometimes she changed the ice bandages, or gave

him something to drink. He wandered and talked a great deal, but it was

incoherent talk, in which the names of the persons he whispered or

shouted were indistinguishable. On the fourth day he recovered

consciousness, but was terribly weak, and the doctor would not permit

Mrs. Lorton to enter the room.

He put his objection very cleverly.

"I have to think of you, my dear madame," he said. "I don't want two

patients on my hands in the same house. Talk him back into delirium!" he

added to himself.

All these days Mrs. Lorton continued to "hush," Nell went about with a

grave air of suspense, and Dick--it is not given to this historian to

describe the state of mind into which incessant repression drove that

youth.

On the sixth day, bored to death, and somewhat curious, he strolled into

the sick room. Drake Vernon, propped up by pillows, was partaking of

beef tea with every sign of distaste.

"How are you getting on, sir?" asked Dick.

The sick man looked at the boy, and nodded with a faint smile.

"I'm better, thanks; nearly well, I devoutly trust."

"That's all right," commented Dick cheerfully. "Thought I'd just look

in. Shan't upset you, or disturb you, shall I, sir?"

"Not in the very least," was the reply. "I'm very glad to see you. Won't

you sit down? Not there, but some place where I can see you."

Dick sat on the end of the bed and leaned against the rail, with his

hands in his pockets.

"I ought to introduce myself, I suppose. I'm what is called in the

novels 'the son of the house'; I'm Nell's brother, you know."

Mr. Vernon nodded.

"So I see, by the likeness."

"Rather rough on Nell, that, isn't it? I'll tell her," said Dick, with a

spark of mischief in his eye. "Why, she's as black as a coal, and I'm

fair."

"You are alike, all the same," said the invalid, rather indifferently.

"My name is Dick--Dick, as a rule; Richard, when my stepmother is more

than usually riled with me."