conduct, and again and again have I resolved to gain the mastery, and often, when I begin to have confidence in my own powers of control, this exclusive jealous disposition will suddenly rise and put to naught all my resolutions of amendment.  If you could know what I endure from it you would pity instead of blame me.  But let us part friends, and I will try to exercise more reason for the future.”  We talked long together, for the morrow would again separate us, and it might be long before we would meet again.  I had spent a happy month in the cool shady village of Elmwood, and returned to my labors with body and mind both strengthened and refreshed.

CHAPTER XXVII.

About the middle of October, Robert Dalton was taken ill.  His disease seemed a kind of low fever, and in a short time he was completely prostrated.  All the leisure I could possibly command I spent at his bedside, and many hours did I forego sleep that I might minister to his wants.  The family with whom he boarded were very attentive, but I knew he was pleased with my attention, and exerted myself to spend as much time with him as possible.  Several days passed away with little apparent change in his symptoms, but he grew extremely weak.  His physician was of the opinion that he was tired out from long and close application to his business; but thought he would soon recover under the necessary treatment.  One evening, when he had been about two weeks ill, I went as I had often done to sit by him for a portion of the night; after the family had all retired, I administered a quieting cordial left by the doctor, and shading the lamp that the light might not disturb him, I opened a book, thinking he would sleep.  He lay very quiet, and I supposed him to be asleep, and was becoming interested in the volume before me when he softly called my name.  I stepped quickly to his bedside, he took my hand saying, “sit down close to me Walter, I have something to say to you.”  I took a seat near him, and after a few moments’ silence he said:  “You may perhaps think I am nervous and fanciful, when I tell you I feel certain I shall never recover from this illness; the physician tells me I will soon be up again, but such will not be the case.”  Observing that I was much startled, he said, “Do not be alarmed Walter, but compose yourself and listen to me.  My parents and one sister live at a distance of four hundred miles from here.  I have deferred informing them of my illness, as my employer, who has much confidence in the skill of my physician, thought it unwise to alarm them needlessly, and I now fear that I have put it off too long, for I think I shall not live to see them.  I intend in the morning requesting my employer to send a message for my father to hasten to me at once, but I fear it is too late.”  Much alarmed, I enquired if he felt himself growing worse, or if he wished me to summon his physician.  He replied, “I feel no worse, but from the first