But it was not the end of it for Christopher. He watched Anne closely,
and once when they climbed a hill together and she gave out, he carried
her to the top. He managed to get his ear against her heart, and what he
heard drained the blood from his face.

As for Anne, she thought how strong he was--and how fair his hair was
with the sun upon it, for he had tucked his cap in his pocket.

That night Christopher again spoke to Ridgeley. "Anne's in a bad way."
He told of the walk to the top of the hill.

Ridgeley listened this time, and the next day he took Anne down into his
office, and did things to her. "But I don't see why you are doing all
this," she complained, as he stuck queer instruments in his ears, and
made her draw long breaths while he listened.

"Christopher says you get tired when you walk."

"Well, I do. But there's nothing really the matter, is there?"

There was a great deal the matter, but there was no hint of it in his
manner. If she had not been his wife, he would probably have told her
the truth--that she had a few months, perhaps a few years ahead of her.
He was apt to be frank with his patients. But he was not frank with
Anne. He had intended to tell Christopher at once. But Christopher was
away for a week.

In the week that he was separated from her, Christopher learned that he
loved Anne; that he had been in love with her from the moment that she