right." Fearing for his strength, I said softly:

"Don't talk, you're too weak, Hal; lie still for a little while and shut
your eyes." I raised my head and put my hand on his forehead, and soon
he was asleep. Then in a low, kind tone the doctor told us the crisis
was past, and now we must wait for the changes, which were one by one to
fall on him. Hal's employer urged me to go to his house, and let Louis
remain with Halbert, and at last it was arranged that at night I should
sleep there, and Louis stay with Hal. Several hours would elapse,
however, before night, and during this time Dr. Selden, Louis and I
would stay with Hal.

I had time during his long sleep to think of something to be done for
him, and realized, as I recovered from the first shock his situation
gave to my nerves, the importance of a different room, better
ventilation, etc., and when Dr. Selden motioned to Louis to take his
seat near Hal's head, where he could lay his hand upon him when he woke,
I whispered to him my thoughts. His answer, though somewhat comforting,
bade me wait until he could decide what was best. He took my hand in his
and called me "little girl,"--just think of it, I was five feet six
inches high, my face looked every day of forty that minute,--told me I
was too tired to plan, and he would attend to it all, adding, at the
close of his dear good talk:

"His artist soul has nearly used up his physical strength. I feel there
has been great pressure on the nerves. If so there must be, according to
the course of nature, rapid changes up to a certain point, and then
there will be a thorough change slowly wrought out. Do not doubt my
skill, 'little girl,' he will come out all right; you and I have a sure
hold on his heart-strings."