in her lap, and her eyes swimming with the
emotions that never found their way to her
tongue.

Brainard came to the office to talk with
me about her one day. "I am a very miser-
able man, Grant," he said. "I am afraid I
have lost my wife's regard. Oh, don't tell me
it is partly my fault. I know it well enough.
And I know you haven't had a very good
opinion of me lately. But I am remorseful
enough now, God knows. And I would give
my life to see her as she was when I found
her first among the mountains. Why, she
used to climb them like a strong man, and
she was forever shouting and singing. And
she had peopled every spot with strange
modern mythological creatures. Her father
is an old dreamer, and she got the trick from
him. They had a little telescope on a great
knoll in the centre of the valley, just where
it commanded a long path of stars, and they
used to spend nights out there when the
frost literally fell in flakes. When I think
how hardy and gay she was, how full of
courage and life, and look at her now, so
feverish and broken, I feel as if I should go
mad. You know I never meant to do her
any harm. Tell me that much, Grant."