“What shall I do?” she asked, in a helpless, appealing way, of Sir William.

He had been summoned as soon as Mr. Abbot’s condition had been discovered, and he, too, feared that the end was very near, while, being wholly unaccustomed to sickness of any kind, he felt very useless and inefficient.

He bent and kissed his darling’s pale, upturned face, and then went swiftly out of the house.

Presently, however, he returned with a foreign looking flask or bottle in his hand.

“Here is some brandy,” he said, giving it to Virgie.  “Mix some of it with two-thirds as much water, and feed your father a teaspoonful at a time every few minutes until he begins to rally, and call all your courage to your aid, dear.  Meantime, I will go to the nearest telegraph station and send a message to Virginia City for a skillful physician.”

Virgie looked up at him with quivering lips.

“Oh, what a comfort it is to have you to help me at this time!” she said.

He drew her into his arms and held her for a moment while she laid her lips, softly and gracefully, to his cheek, in the first voluntary caress that she had ever given him.

The act touched him, and told him how trustfully she relied upon him.

“My darling, I wish I could save you from every pang,” he said, tenderly.  “But I must not linger—­we must have help for your father as soon as possible.  Good-by, my love, for a little while, and be sure that I will come back just as quickly as I can.”

He went quickly out, and Virgie stole softly into her father’s chamber, to do what she could for him, and her heart began to gather something of hope and courage when a few minutes later she heard the clatter of a horse’s hoofs outside, and knew that her lover was on the way for help.

Sir William did not spare his horse until he reached the station.

A telegram was sent and before long a reply was received saying that a physician would leave Virginia City upon the next train coming that way.

But several hours must elapse before he could arrive, and Sir William was brought up to the highest pitch of anxiety and impatience during the interval, while to Virgie, anxiously watching and waiting by the bedside of her father, they were the longest that she had ever known.

But she followed Sir William’s directions regarding administering the brandy, and she could see that after a few potions the invalid began to rally somewhat.

Just as the sun was going down Sir William and the doctor arrived, and then the young girl felt as if a mountain had rolled from her shoulders.

They remained all night watching with the patient, insisting that Virgie should go to her rest, and worn out with her day of watching and anxiety, she crept away to bed and slept the sleep of exhaustion.

In the morning Mr. Abbot seemed considerably stronger and better, and Virgie’s loving heart began to take courage again and to hope that he was not really so very ill after all.