“I take it to be,” I said, “what on Earth women call hysteria and men temper.”

To this opinion, however, I could not adhere when, watching her closely, I noticed the evident lack of spirit and strength with which the most active and energetic member of the household went about her usual pursuits.  A terrible suspicion at first entered my mind, but was wholly discountenanced by Eveena, who insisted that there was no conceivable motive for an attempt to injure Eunane; while the idea that mischief designed for others had unintentionally fallen on her was excluded by the certainty that, whatever the nature of her illness, if it were such, it had commenced before our return.  Long before evening I had communicated with Esmo, and received from him a reply which, though exceedingly unsatisfactory, rather confirmed Eveena’s impression.  The latter had taken upon herself the care of the evening meal; but, before we could meet there, my own observation had suggested an alarm I dared not communicate to her—­one which a wider experience than hers could neither verify nor dispel.  Among symptoms wholly alien, there were one or two which sent a thrill of terror to my heart;—­which reminded me of the most awful and destructive of the scourges wherewith my Eastern life had rendered me but too familiar.  It was not unnatural that, if carried to a new world, that fearful disease should assume a new form; but how could it have been conveyed? how, if conveyed, could its incubation in some unknown vehicle have been so long? and how had it reached one, and one only, of my household—­one, moreover, who had no access to such few relics of my own world as I had retained, of which Eveena had the exclusive charge?  All Esmo’s knowledge, even were he within reach, could hardly help me here.  I dared, of course, suggest my apprehension to no one, least of all to the patient herself.  As, towards evening, her languor was again exchanged for the feverish excitement of the previous night, I seized on some petulant word as an excuse to confine her to her room, and, selfishly enough, resolved to invoke the help of the only member of the family who should, and perhaps would, be willing to run personal risk for the sake of aiding Eunane in need and protecting Eveena.  I had seen as yet very little of Velna, Eunane’s school companion; but now, calling her apart, I told her frankly that I feared some illness of my own Earth had by some means been communicated to her friend.

“You have here,” I said, “for ages had no such diseases as those which we on Earth most dread; those which, communicated through water, air, or solid particles, spread from one person to another, endangering especially those who come nearest to the sufferers.  Whoever approaches Eunane risks all that I fear for her, and that ‘all’ means very probably speedy death.  To leave her alone is impossible; and if I cannot report that she is fully cared for in other hands, no command, nothing short of actual compulsion, will keep Eveena away from her.”