I could hardly wait to ask the question, "What do you mean by his artist
soul? what is he doing? and the doctor's eyes were looking in wonder at
me, and his lips parting with a word, when Hal's voice startled us with:

"Emily, who is this?" and we turned to see him looking at Louis, whose
hand was on his head.

I answered, "The dear friend Hal who brought me here."

"What a beautiful hand he has. Oh! how it rests my tired, tired brain,"
he said. "Water, Emily, sister, a little water."

Dr. Selden gave him a glass, saying, "Drink all you like."

"I am faint," said Hal.

"Take this, my good fellow," and the doctor held a glass of cordial to
his lips.

He was perfectly lucid now, and his voice natural. Dr. Selden,
anticipating questions from him, answered them all; told him I had come
to stay until he could go back to the old home with me, and of Mr.
Hanson's kind tender of hospitality to both Louis and myself, and
settled every vexing question for the patient, who looked a world of
thanks, and with "God be praised" on his lips passed again into
unconsciousness, with Louis' hand still passing over his head. I thought
then if Louis should ask me to jump into the crater of Vesuvius for him
I could do it out of sheer thankfulness; and I marvelled at him, the
child of wealth and ease, only a boy in years, here in this miserable