She gave it him. He felt eagerly about it, drew the pocket-book from the breast-pocket, opened it and fell back. ‘Gone!’ he moaned, ‘gone!’ The garment dropped from his fingers upon the floor, his eyes became glassy and fixed, and scarlet spots of colour formed in his cheeks. After this he became feverish, and tossed in his bed, put his hand to his brow, plucked at the bandages, asked for water, and his pulse quickened. Towards evening he seemed conscious that his senses were slipping beyond control. He called repeatedly for the young lady, and Jane, who attended him then, was obliged to fetch Barbara. The sun was setting when she came into the room. She despatched Jane about some task that had to be done, and, coming to the side of the bed, said in a constrained voice, ‘Yes, what do you require? I am here.’ He lifted himself. His eyes were glowing with fever; he put out his hand and clasped her wrist; his hand was burning. His lips quivered; his face was full of a fiery eagerness. ‘I entreat you! you are so good, so kind! You have surprised a secret. I beseech you let no one else into it—no one have a suspicion of it. I am hot. I am in a fever. I am afraid what I may say when others are by me. I would go on my knees to you could I rise. I pray you, I pray you——’ he put his hands together, ‘do not leave me if I become delirious. It is a hard thing to ask. I have no claim on you; but I fear. I would have none but you know what I say, and I may say strange things if my mind becomes deranged with fever. You feel my hand, is it not like a red-hot-coal? You know that I am likely to wander. Stay by me—in pity—in mercy—for the love of God—for the love of God!’ His hand, a fiery hand, grasped her wrist convulsively. She stood by his bed, greatly moved, much stung with self-reproach. It was cruel of her to act as she had done, to show him that convict suit, and let him see that she knew his vileness. It was heartless, wicked of her, when the poor fellow was just returned to consciousness, to cast him back into his misery and shame by the sight of that degrading garment. Spots of colour came into her cheeks almost as deep as those which burnt in the sick man’s face. ‘I should have considered he was ill, that he was under my charge,’ she said, and laid her left hand on his to intimate that she sought to disengage her wrist from his grasp. At the touch his eyes, less wild, looked pleadingly at her. ‘Yes, Mr. Jasper,’ she said, ‘I——’ ‘Why do you call me Mr. Jasper?’ ‘That other man gave you the name.’ ‘Yes, my name is Jasper. And yours?’ ‘Barbara. I am Miss Barbara Jordan.’ ‘Will you promise what I asked?’ ‘Yes,’ she said, ‘I will stay by you all night, and whatever passes your lips shall never pass mine.’ He smiled, and gave a sigh of relief. ‘How good you are! How good! Barbara Jordan.’