As yet, she felt no wish to make any
moan. That would come later, when her nerves had relaxed a little
from the stretching strain. And, meanwhile, as she sat watching the
face on the pillow, grieving for the waning life, now and then she
raised her eyes to the other face on the opposite side of the bed,
and told herself that Fate, harsh as it was, was yet not altogether
unpitying. Although wounded and worn and sick at heart, Weldon was
with her, and intensely alive.
"Ethel!"
Bending forward, she laid her strong, firm hand upon the hand of the
Captain, noting, as she did so, that the finger tips were cold to
her own warm touch.
"Yes?" she said gently.
"You are here? It troubles me to see. Stay with me to the end,
Ethel. It won't be so very long."
She bowed her head; but the answer came firmly.
"I will stay."
There was a short silence. Then, gathering together all his
strength, the Captain went on quite steadily,--
"It won't be so very long, Ethel. I am sorry. I liked to live. I
have had a good time, and I had no idea that my good times were so
nearly over. Not that it would have made much difference, though.
And yet, when one comes to the end, all of a sudden, one finds a
great many things that are left unfinished.
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