404
WYLDER'S HAJVD.
As he supported her in her chair, the library door open-
ed, and the sinister face of Uncle Lome looked in, and re-
turned the Captain's stare with one just as fixed and hor-
rified.
"Hush!" whispered Uncle Lome, and he limped softly
into the room, and stopped about three yards away, "she
is not dead, but sleepeth."
"Hallo! Larcom," shouted Lake.
''1 tell you she's dreaming the same dream that I
dreamt in the middle of the night."
"Hallo! Larcom."
"Mark's on leave to-night, in uniform; his face is flat-
tened against the window. This is his lady, you know."
"Hallo! D—you — are you there?" shouted the
Captain, very angry.
"I saw Mark following you like an ape, on all-fours;
such nice white teeth! grinning at your heels. But he
can't bite yet — ha, ha, ha! Poor Mark!"
"Will you be so good, sir, as to touch the bell?" said
Lake, changing his tone.
He was afraid to remove his arm from Dqrcas, and he
was splashing water from a glass upon her face and fore-
head.
"No — no. No bell yet — time enough — ding, dong.
You say, dead and gone."
Captain Lake cursed him and his absent keeper between
his teeth; still, in a rather flurried way, prosecuting his
conjugal attentions.
r "There was no bell for poor Mark; and he's always
listening, and stares so. A cat may look, you know."
"Can't you touch the bell, sir? What are you stand-
ing there for?" snarled Lake, with a glare at the old
man. He looked as if he could have murdered him.
"Standing between the living and the dead!"