John had deep and reverent memories connected with Armine.  He knew-— as few did know-—how steadfastly that little gentle fellow could hold the right, and more than once the two had been almost alone against their world.  Besides, he was Mother Carey’s darling!  Johnny felt as if his heart would break, as with trembling lips he tried to speak, as if in glad hope, as he told his aunt that Jock was speaking and wanted her, while he looked all the time at the still, white, inanimate face.

She looked at him half in distrust.

“Yes!  Indeed, indeed,” he said, “Jock wants you.”

She went; Johnny took her place.  The efforts at restoration were slackening.  The attendants were shaking their heads and saying, “der Arme.”

Mr. Graham came up to him, saying in his ear, “She is engrossed with the other.  He will not let her go.  Let them do what is to be done for this poor little fellow.  So it will be best for her.”

There was a frantic longing to do something for Armine, a wild wonder that the prayers of a whole night had not been more fully answered in John’s mind, as he threw himself once more over the senseless form, propped with pillows, and kissed either cheek and the lips.  Then suddenly he uttered a low cry, “He breathed.  I’m sure he did; I felt it!  The spoon!  O quick!”

Mr. Graham and the Fraulein looked pitifully at one another at the delusion; but they let the lad have the spoon with the drops of brandy.  He had already gained experience in giving it, and when they looked for disappointment, his eyes were raised in joy.

“It’s gone down,” he said.

Mr. Graham put his hand on the pulse and nodded.

Another drop or two, and renewed rubbing of hands and feet.  The icy cold, the deadly white, were certainly giving way, the lips began to quiver, contract, and gasp.

Was it for death or life?  They would not call his mother for that terrible, doubtful minute; but she could not long stay away.  When Jock’s fingers first relaxed on hers, she crept to the door of the other room, to see Armine upheld on Johnny’s breast, with heaving chest and working features, but with eyes opening:  yes, and meeting hers.

Johnny always held that he never had so glad a moment in all his life as that when he saw her countenance light up.

The first word was “Jock !”

Armine’s full perceptions were come back, unlike those of Jock, who was moaning and wandering in his talk, fancying himself still in the desolation of the moraine, with Armine dead in his arms, and all the miseries, bodily, mental and spiritual, from which he had suffered were evidently still working in his brain, though the words that revealed them were weak and disjointed.  Besides, he screamed and moaned with absolute and acute pain, which alarmed them much, though Armine was sufficiently himself to be able to assure them that there had been no hurt beyond the strain.