Whenthedoctormadehisreappearanceitwastosaythathispatientwasbeingundressedandputtobedbyhisnegroservant，who，however，wouldreturnwiththedoctorto-night，butthatthepatientwouldbeleftwitheverythingthatwasnecessary，andthathewouldrequirenoattentionfromthefamilyuntilthenextday。
　　Indeed，itwasbetterthatheshouldremainundisturbed。Asthedoctorconfinedhisconfidencesandinstructionsentirelytothephysicalconditionoftheirguest，Mrs。Riversfounditawkwardtopressotherinquiries。
　　“Ofcourse，“shesaidatlasthesitatingly，butwithacertainprimnessofexpression，“Mr。Hamlinmustexpecttofindeverythinghereverydifferentfromwhatheisaccustomedto——atleastfromwhatmyhusbandsaysarehishabits。“
　　“Nobodyknowsthatbetterthanhe，Mrs。Rivers，“returnedthedoctorwithanequallymarkedprecisionofmanner，“andyoucouldnothaveaguestwhowouldbelesslikelytomakeyouremindhimofit。“
　　Alittleannoyed，yetnotexactlyknowingwhy，Mrs。Riversabandonedthesubject，andasthedoctorshortlyafterwardsbusiedhimselfinthecareofhispatient，withwhomheremaineduntilthehourofhisdeparture，shehadnochanceofrenewingit。Butashefinallyshookhandswithhishostandhostess，itseemedtoherthatheslightlyrecurredtoit。“Ihavethegreatesthopeofthecurativeeffectofthiswonderfullocalityonmypatient，butevenstillmoreofthebeneficialeffectofthecompletechangeofhishabits，hissurroundings，andtheirinfluences。“Thenthedoorclosedonthemanofscienceandthegrizzlednegroservant，thenoiseofthecarriagewheelswasshutoutwiththesongofthewindinthepinetops，andtheranchoofWindyHillpossessedMr。JackHamlininpeace。Indeed，thewindwasnowfalling，aswasitscustomatthathour，andthemoonpresentlyaroseoverahushedandsleepinglandscape。
　　Fortherestoftheeveningthesilentpresenceintheroomaboveaffectedthehousehold；thehalf-curiousservantsandranchhandsspokeinwhispersinthepassages，andateveningprayers，inthediningroom，SethRivers，kneelingbeforeandbowedoverarush-
　　bottomedchairwhoselegswereclutchedbyhisstronghands，included“thestrangerwithinourgates“inhisregularsupplications。Whenthehourforretiringcame，Seth，withacandleinhishand，precededhiswifeupthestaircase，butstoppedbeforethedooroftheirguest’sroom。“Ireckon，“hesaidinterrogativelytoMrs。Rivers，“Ioughterseeefhe’swantin’
　　anythin’？“
　　“Youheardwhatthedoctorsaid，“returnedMrs。Riverscautiously。
　　Atthesametimeshedidnotspeakdecidedly，andthefrontiersman’sinstinctofhospitalityprevailed。Heknockedlightly；therewasnoresponse。Heturnedthedoorhandlesoftly。
　　Thedooropened。Afaintcleanperfume——anodorofsomegeneralpersonalityratherthananyparticularthing——stoleoutuponthem。
　　ThelightofSeth’scandlestruckafewglintsfromsomecut-glassandsilver，thecontentsoftheguest’sdressingcase，whichhadbeencarefullylaidoutuponasmalltablebyhisnegroservant。
　　TherewasalsoarefinedneatnessinthedispositionofhisclothesandeffectswhichstruckthefeminineeyeofeventhetidyMrs。
　　Riversassomethingnewtoherexperience。Sethdrewnearerthebedwithhisshadedcandle，andthen，turning，beckonedhiswifetoapproach。Mrs。Rivershesitated——butforthenecessityofsilenceshewouldhaveopenlyprotested——butthatprotestwasshutupinhercompressedlipsasshecameforward。
　　Foraninstantthatawewithwhichabsolutehelplessnessinveststhesleepinganddeadwasfeltbybothhusbandandwife。Onlytheupperpartofthesleeper’sfacewasvisibleabovethebedclothes，heldinpositionbyathinwhitenervoushandthatwasencircledatthewristbyaruffle。Sethstared。Shortbrowncurlsweretumbledoveraforeheaddampwiththedewsofsleepandexhaustion。
　　Butwhatappearedmoresingular，theclosedeyesofthisvesselofwrathandrecklessnesswerefringedwithlashesaslongandsilkyasawoman’s。ThenMrs。Riversgentlypulledherhusband’ssleeve，andtheybothcreptbackwithagreatersenseofintrusionandevenmorecautiouslythantheyhadentered。Nordidtheyspeakuntilthedoorwasclosedsoftlyandtheywerealoneonthelanding。
　　Sethlookedgrimlyathiswife。
　　“Don’tlookmuchezefhecouldhurtanybody。“
　　“Helookslikeasickman，“returnedMrs。Riverscalmly。
　　Theunconsciousobjectofthiscriticismandattentionsleptuntillate；sleptthroughthestirofawakenedlifewithinandwithout，throughthechallengeofearlycocksinthelean-toshed，throughthecreakingofdepartingoxteamsandthelazy，long-drawncommandsofteamsters，throughtheregularstrokesofthemorningpumpandthesplashofwateronstones，throughthefar-offbarkingofdogsandthehalf-intelligibleshoutsofranchmen；sleptthroughthesunlightonhisceiling，throughitsslowdescentofhiswall，andawokewithitinhiseyes！Hewoke，too，withadelicioussenseoffreedomfrompain，andofevendrawingalongbreathwithoutdifficulty——twofactssomarvelousanddreamlikethathenaturallyclosedhiseyesagainlestheshouldwakentoaworldofsufferinganddyspnoea。Satisfiedatlastthatthisreliefwasreal，heagainopenedhiseyes，butuponsurroundingssostrange，sowildlyabsurdandimprobable，thatheagaindoubtedtheirreality。Hewaslyinginamoderatelylargeroom，primlyandseverelyfurnished，buthisattentionwasforthemomentrivetedtoagiltframeuponthewallbesidehimbearingthetext，“GodBlessOurHome，“andthenonanotherframeontheoppositewallwhichadmonishedhimto“WatchandPray。“Besidethemhunganengravingofthe“RaisingofLazarus，“andaHogarthianlithographof“TheDrunkard’sProgress。“Mr。Hamlinclosedhiseyes；hewasdreamingcertainly——notoneofthosewild，fantasticvisionsthathadsomiserablyfilledthepastlongnightsofpainandsuffering，butstilladream！Atlast，openingoneeyestealthily，hecaughttheflashofthesunlightuponthecrystalandsilverarticlesofhisdressingcase，andthatflashatonceilluminatedhismemory。HerememberedhislongweeksofillnessandthedevotionofDr。
　　Duchesne。Herememberedhow，whenthecrisiswaspast，thedoctorhadurgedacompletechangeandabsoluterest，andhadtoldhimofasecludedranchoinsomeremotelocalitykeptbyanhonestWesternpioneerwhosefamilyhehadattended。Herememberedhisownreluctantassent，impelledbygratitudetothedoctorandthehelplessnessofasickman。Henowrecalledthewearyjourneythither，hisexhaustionandthesemi-consciousnessofhisarrivalinabewilderingwindonashadowyhilltop。Andthiswastheplace！
　　Heshiveredslightly，andduckedhisheadunderthecoveragain。
　　Butthebrightnessofthesunandsomeexhilaratingqualityintheairtemptedhimtohaveanotheroutlook，avoidingasfaraspossiblethegrimlydecoratedwalls。Iftheyhadonlylefthimhisfaithfulservanthecouldhaverelievedhimselfofthatmischievousbadinagewhichalwaysalternatelyhorrifiedanddelightedthatdevotednegro。Buthewasalone——absolutelyalone——inthisconventicle！
　　Presentlyhesawthedooropenslowly。Itgaveadmissiontothesmallroundfaceandyellowringletsofalittlegirl，andfinallytoherwholefigure，claspingadollnearlyaslargeasherself。
　　Foramomentshestoodthere，arrestedbythedisplayofMr。
　　Hamlin’sdressingcaseonthetable。Thenherglancesmovedaroundtheroomandresteduponthebed。HerblueeyesandMr。Hamlin’sbrownonesmetandmingled。Withoutamoment’shesitationshemovedtothebedside。Takingherdoll’shandsinherown，shedisplayeditbeforehim。
　　“Isn’titpitty？“
　　Mr。Hamlinwasinstantlyhisoldselfagain。Thrustinghishandcomfortablyunderthepillow，helayonhissideandgazedatitlongandaffectionately。“Inever，“hesaidinafaintvoice，butwithimmovablefeatures，“sawanythingsoperfectlybeautiful。Isitalive？“
　　“It’sadolly，“shereturnedgravely，smoothingdownitsfrockandstraighteningitshelplessfeet。Thenseizedwithaspontaneousidea，likeayounganimalshesuddenlypresentedittohimwithbothhandsandsaid，——
　　“Kissit。“
　　Mr。Hamlinimplantedachastesaluteonitsvermilioncheek。
　　“Wouldyoumindlettingmeholditforalittle？“hesaidwithextremediffidence。
　　Thechildwasdelighted，asheexpected。Mr。Hamlinplaceditinasittingpostureontheedgeofhisbed，andputanostentatiouspaternalarmaroundit。
　　“Butyou’realive，ain’tyou？“hesaidtothechild。
　　Thissubtlewitticismconvulsedher。“I’malittlegirl，“shegurgled。
　　“Isee；hermother？“
　　“Ess。“
　　“Andwho’syourmother？“
　　“Mammy。“
　　“Mrs。Rivers？“
　　Thechildnoddeduntilherringletswereshakenonhercheek。
　　Afteramomentshebegantolaughbashfullyandwithrepression，yetasMr。Hamlinthoughtalittlemischievously。Thenashelookedatherinterrogativelyshesuddenlycaughtholdoftheruffleofhissleeve。
　　“Oo’sgotonmammy’snighty。“
　　Mr。Hamlinstarted。Hesawthechild’sobviousmistakeandactuallyfelthimselfblushing。Itwasunprecedented——itwasthesheerestweakness——itmusthavesomethingtodowiththeconfoundedair。