it's a little like a grave. What are you going to do now?" he added, as
she brought a cup of water and placed it at his side.
"I am going to leave you here for a little while," she said cheerfully,
but with a pale face and nervous hands. "I'm going to leave you while I
seek Low."
The sick man raised his head. "I'm good for a spurt, Teresa, like that
I've just got through, but I don't think I'm up to a family party.
Couldn't you issue cards later on?"
"You don't understand," she said. "I'm going to get Low to send some one
of your friends to you here. I don't think he'll begrudge leaving HER a
moment for that," she added to herself bitterly.
"What's that you're saying?" he queried, with the nervous quickness of
an invalid.
"Nothing--but that I'm going now." She turned her face aside to hide her
moistened eyes. "Wish me good luck, won't you?" she asked, half sadly,
half pettishly.
"Come here!"
She came and bent over him. He suddenly raised his hands, and, drawing
her face down to his own, kissed her forehead.
"Give that to HIM," he whispered, "from ME."
She turned and fled, happily for her sentiment, not hearing the feeble
laugh that followed, as Dunn, in sheer imbecility, again referred to
the extravagant ludicrousness of the situation. "It is about the biggest
thing in the way of a sell all round," he repeated, lying on his back,
confidentially to the speck of smoke-obscured sky above him. He pictured
himself repeating it, not to Nellie--her severe propriety might at last
overlook the fact, but would not tolerate the joke--but to her father!
It would be one of those characteristic Californian jokes Father Wynn
would admire.
To his exhaustion fever presently succeeded, and he began to grow
restless. The heat too seemed to invade his retreat, and from time to
time the little patch of blue sky was totally obscured by clouds of
smoke. He amused himself with watching a lizard who was investigating a
folded piece of paper, whose elasticity gave the little creature lively
apprehensions of its vitality. At last he could stand the stillness of
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