"Upstairs with Madie, I guess," sighed Frederick.
"Poor Helen," groaned Ebenezer, moodily. "If I could only give her some news of Elsie. But I feel sure we'll have her home by morning."
"I hope so!" answered Frederick. Then, he raised on one elbow and spoke with difficulty. "Eb,--Ebenezer, I've something to tell you." The effort made him gasp for breath, and fall back.
"I guess I'm done for," he muttered.
"I'll call Madelene," said Waldstricker, turning quickly.
"No, no, Ebenezer. Come here. There, now, let me tell it. I--I--married Tessibel Skinner before I married Madelene."
Waldstricker staggered back. He was appalled at the death-stricken face opposite. He knew Frederick was dying, and had no doubt he was telling the simple truth. The world seemed turned upside down. Now, in the light of this new knowledge, he could see many things. He shuddered when he thought of Tessibel. He and his were in the squatter girl's power. What mercy could he or Madelene expect at her hands? The shame and disgrace would kill his sister. Had the Skinner girl come to his house to claim her husband?
At that moment, he heard Mrs. Graves' step on the stairs. He turned, intending to ask Frederick not to tell Madelene of his secret marriage, but quickly changed his mind. Frederick was too ill; the first thing was to relieve his suffering.
"Get some water," the elder commanded when she appeared in the doorway. "Fred's sick."
Madelene dropped the armful of clothes she held and fled to obey. When she came back, the young wife tenderly ministered to the dying man. Never before had he seemed so dear!
"I think we'd better call a doctor," said Ebenezer, and he went out.
For a moment, he felt impelled to go to his wife, to tell her how sorry he was for all his ugly moods. He blamed himself bitterly for Elsie's disappearance. If her mother had been home, the little girl would not have gone away.
In the servant's quarters, he gave orders that a doctor should be sent for. As he came back to the reception hall, he saw Helen looking down up him,--and she was smiling. How could she smile when the world was no longer glad, no longer beautiful? But a few hours before he had left her in tears, almost insane. Now she stood quietly, happily, as if joy unlimited were hers.
Mrs. Waldstricker placed her fingers on her lips.
"Come up, dear heart," she whispered.