After that, to bed once more, still determinedly in love with the land
of health, and praying fervently for morning.
Soon David's heavy breathing proclaimed him sound asleep. But sleep
would not come to Carol. She gazed as one hypnotized into the starry
brightness of the black sky as she could see it through the window
beside her. How ominously dark it was. Softly she slipped out of bed
and lowered the flaps of the window. She did not like that darkness.
After the storm, David had insisted the windows must be opened
again,--that was the first law of lungers and chasers.
She was cold when she got back into bed, for the chill of the mountain
nights was new to her. And an hour later, when she was almost dozing,
footsteps prowled about the tent, loitering in the leaves outside her
western window. David was sleeping, she must not interfere with a
moment of his restoring rest. She clasped her hands beneath the
covers, and moistened her feverish lips. If it were an Indian lurking
there, his deadly tomahawk upraised, she prayed he might strike the
fatal blow at once. But the steps passed, and she climbed on her knees
and lowered the flaps on the side where the steps sounded.
Later, the sudden tinkle of a bell across the grounds startled her into
sitting posture. No, it wasn't David, after all,--somebody else,--some
other woman's David, likely, ringing for the nurse. Carol sighed. How
could David get well and strong out here, with all these other sick
ones to wring his heart with pity? Were the doctors surely right,--was
this the land of health?
Again footsteps approached the tent, stirring up the dry sand, and
again Carol held her breath until they had passed. Then she grimly
closed the windows on the third side of her room, and smiled to herself
as she thought, "I'll get them up again before David is awake."
But she crept into bed and slept at last.
Early, very early, she was awakened by the sunlight pouring upon the
flaps at the windows. It was five o'clock, and very cold. Carol
wrapped a blanket about her and peeked in upon her husband.
"Good morning," she greeted him brightly. "Isn't it lovely and bright?
How is my nice old boy? Nearly well?"
"Just fine. How did you sleep?"
"Like a top," she declared.
"Were you afraid?"
"Um, not exactly," she denied, glancing at him with sudden suspicion.
"Did the wind blow all your flaps down?"
"How did you know?"
"Oh, I was up long ago looking in on you. We'll get a room over in the
Main Building to-day. It costs more, but the accommodations are so
much better. We are directly on the path from the street, so we hear
every passing footstep."
Carol blushed. "I am not afraid," she insisted.
"We'll get a room just the same. It will be easier for you all the way
around."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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