It was too dark in the little fragrant room even to see her face
so close to his own. And yet he feared. 'Dr Simon,' she went on
softly, 'said it was. But isn't your voice a little hoarse, and
it sounds so melancholy in the dark. And oh'--she squeezed his
wrist--'you have grown so thin! You do frighten me. Whatever
should I do if you were really ill? And it was so odd, dear. When
first I woke I seemed to be still straining my eyes in a dream,
at such a curious, haunting face--not very nice. I am glad, I am
glad you were here.'

'What was the dream-face like?' came the muttered question.

'Dark and sharp, and rather dwelling eyes; you know those long
faces one sees in dreams: like a hawk, like a conjuror's.'

Like a conjuror's!--it was the first unguarded and ungarbled
criticism. 'Perhaps, dear, if you find my voice different, and my
hand shrunk up, you will find my face changed, too--like a
conjuror's.... What then?'

She laughed gaily and tenderly. 'You silly silly; I should love
you more than ever. Your hands are icy cold. I can't warm them
nohow.'

Lawford held tight his daughter's hand. 'You do love me, Alice?
You would not turn against me, whatever happened? Ah, you shall
see, you shall see.' A sudden burning hope sprang up in him.
Surely when all was well again, these last few hours would not
have been spent in vain. Like the shadow of death they had been,
against whose darkness the green familiar earth seems beautiful