"My injuries are doing very well. My broken bones are knitting together again as fast as they possibly can, my physician says." "But that is a very painful process I fear," said Claudia compassionately. "Indeed, no; I do not find it so." "Ah! your face shows what you endure. It is your chest, then, that hurts you?" "My chest is healing very rapidly. Do not distress your kind heart, Miss Merlin; indeed, I am doing very well." "You are very patient, and therefore you will do well, if you are not doing so now. Ishmael, now that I am permitted to visit you, I shall come every day. But they have limited me to fifteen minutes' stay this morning, and my time is up. Good-morning, Ishmael." "Good-morning, Miss Merlin. May the Lord bless you," said Ishmael, respectfully pressing the hand she gave him. "I will come again to-morrow; and then if you continue to grow better, I may be allowed to remain with you for half an hour," she said, rising. "Thank you, Miss Merlin; I shall try to grow better; you have given me a great incentive to improvement." Claudia's face grew grave again. She bowed coldly and left the room. As soon as the door had closed behind her Ishmael's long-strained nerves became relaxed, and his countenance changed again in one of those awful spasms of pain to which he was now so subject. The paroxysm, kept off by force of will, for Claudia's sake, during her stay, now took its revenge by holding the victim longer in its grasp. A minute or two of mortal agony and then is was past, and the patient was relieved. "I don't know what you call pain; but if dis'ere aint pain, I don't want to set no worser de longest day as ever I live!" exclaimed Katie, who stood by the bedside wiping the deathly dew from the icy brow of the sufferer. "But you see--it lasts so short a time--it is already gone," gasped Ishmael faintly. "It is no sooner come than gone," he added, with a smile. "And no sooner gone, nor come again! And a-most taking of your life when it do come!" said Katie, placing a cordial to the ashen lips of the sufferer. The stimulant revived his strength, brought color to his cheeks and light to his eyes. Ishmael's next visitor was Reuben Gray, who was admitted to see him for a few minutes only. This was Reuben's first visit to the invalid, and as under the transient influence of the stimulant Ishmael looked brighter than usual, Reuben thought that he must be getting on remarkably well, and congratulated him accordingly. Ishmael smilingly returned the compliment by wishing Gray joy of his son and daughter. Reuben grinned with delight and expatiated on their beauty, until it was time for him to take leave.