“Laugh, Esther, when you’re in trouble!  Say something droll! then you’re safe.  I saw the whole regiment laugh under fire at Gettysburg.”

This was more than she could bear, and she had to hurry out of the room.  She had fancied him yielding to fear and finding courage in her companionship.  Suddenly she became aware that, with death’s hand on his throat and a brain reeling in exhaustion, he was trying to teach her how to meet what life had to bring.  The lesson was one she could not easily forget.

So she went to her bed, in the cold, gray dawn of a winter’s day, with the tears still running down her face.  When she woke again the day was already waning, a dripping, wasting thaw, when smoking and soot-defiled snow added sadness to the sad sky.  Esther, on opening her eyes, saw Catherine sitting quietly before the fire, reading, or pretending to read.  She was keeping guard lest Esther should be disturbed.

“He is no worse,” she said, when Esther raised her head.  “I was at his door five minutes ago.  Mrs. Murray is there and so is the doctor.  You are not wanted and they sent word that you were not to be disturbed.”

Esther was glad to lie still a few minutes and collect her strength.  It was pleasant to look at Catherine, the healthiest and most cheery of girls, after having under one’s eyes a long night of terror.

“Professor Strong has been here this morning and I saw him,” ran on Catherine.  “He sent for me because he would not have you disturbed.  He got back from St. Louis last night, and will come round here again this afternoon.  Mr. Hazard has been here, too, and says he shall stop again in the evening.”

This report required no answer.  Esther felt the stronger for knowing that her friends were at her side, and that she could count on their help.  Catherine ran on in the same vein.

“Mr. Hazard says that Mr. Wharton has left town and will not return until Mr. Murray sends for him.  I think he might have left some message for me, to ask me to be true to him or something, but Mr. Hazard says he just went off to Boston without a word to any body.  I have more than half a mind to desert him and go back to Colorado.”

“If you leave me now, Catherine—­”

“Oh!  I don’t mean to leave you, but I must earn my living.  Let me take my watch with your father to-night!  You will think you have struck a professional.”

Esther refused, but Catherine did rather more than her share of work notwithstanding, and more than once Mr. Dudley, opening his eyes, found her at the head of his bed and greeted her with a faint smile.

He passed the day without much sign of change.  Esther was repeatedly called from his side to see persons whom she could not send away.  Her aunt was with her till night.  Strong came in and sat with her while she tried to dine.  So long as day-light lasted she felt no sense of loneliness or desertion, and her courage remained fairly steady; but when she had sent home her aunt and cousin in order to begin her watch earlier than the previous night, her fears returned, her heart sank, and she begged Catherine to stay with her.  The two girls began their watch together.  Mr. Dudley seemed pleased to have them with him.