“I’m sorry I left you alone,” she said tenderly; “I’ll call Aunt Sally.”

“No — wait — I only want — to look at you.”

She stood swaying her lithe body to rock the sleeping child. David thought he never had seen anything lovelier. How serious his wounds were, he did not know. But one thing he knew well, and to that one thought he clung. He wanted Cassandra where he could see her all the time. He wished she would talk to him, and not let him lose consciousness, relapsing into the horror of a strange dream that continued to haunt him.

“Do you love that baby?” he asked, his voice faint and high.

“He’s a right nice baby.”