"Harry, dear, tell me what to do."
"Let them take me," he said weakly. "It's of no use."
"Hush!" she said, full now of a wild desire to save him from disgrace
and to aid him in his efforts to redeem the past. "Let me think. Yes:
you want money."
Full of the recollection of his former appeal, she took out her keys,
opened a drawer, while he half knelt, half crouched upon the carpet.
She had not much there, and, whispering to him to wait, she left the
room, locking him in, and ran up to her chamber.
Harry started as he heard the snap made by the lock; but he subsided
again in a helpless state, and with the disease that had been hanging
about waiting to make its grand attack gradually sapping its way.
In five minutes Louise was back.
"I have not much money," she whispered hastily; "but here are my watch,
two chains, and all the jewels I have, dear. They are worth a great
deal."
"Too late!" he moaned as he gazed up at her piteously, and for the
moment he was delirious, as a sudden flush of fever suffused his cheeks.
"It is not too late," she said firmly. "Take them. Now tell me what
next to do."
"What next?" he said vacantly.
"Yes. You must not stay here. My father may return at any time.
Brother--Harry--shall I get you some clothes?"
"No--no," he said mournfully. "I shall want no more clothes."
"Harry!" she cried, taking his face between her hands, and drawing it
round so that the light fell upon it; "are you ill?"
"Ill? yes," he said feebly. "I've felt it before--in the wet cave--
fever, I suppose. Lou, dear, is it very hard to die?"
"Oh, what shall I do?" cried the agitated girl, half frantic now.
"Harry, you are not very ill?"
"Only sometimes," he said slowly, as he looked round. "I seem to lose
my head a bit, and then something seems to hold me back."
"Harry!"
"Yes," he cried, starting up; "who called? You, Louie, money--give me
some money."
"I gave you all I have, dear, and my jewels."
"Yes, I forgot," he said huskily, as in a moment his whole manner had
changed, and with feverish energy he felt for the trinkets she had given
him.
"You are ill, dear," she whispered tenderly. "Would it not be better to
let me fetch our father?"
"I'd sooner die," he cried, catching her wrist. "No. He shall not
know. There, I can see clearly now. That horrible weakness is always
taking me now, and when it's on I feel as if I should kill myself."
"Harry!"
"Hush! I know now. We must go before he comes back."
"We?" she said aghast.
"Yes, we. I'm not fit to be alone. You must come with me, Lou, and
help me. If I go alone I shall go mad."
"Oh, Harry! my darling brother."
"Yes," he cried in a hoarse whisper; "I know I shall. It's too horrible
to live alone, as I've been living. You must come with me and save me--
from myself--from everybody. Why do you look at me like that?"
He caught her by the shoulder, and glared at her with a long, fierce
stare.
"I--I could not leave home, Harry," she said faintly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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