One day he’ll be smiling and sensible, looking so honest all the time. Next day a knock on the head or a little vein goes crack in the brain (as the doctor told me); then the rails are down, and every thing comes out with a rush into the light of day—right and wrong, foul and fair, station brands and clear-skins, it don’t make no difference.

Father was always one of the closest men that ever lived. He never told us much about his old life at home or after he came out here. Now he was letting drop things here and there that helped us to a few secrets he’d never told to no man. They made poor Aileen a bit more miserable than she’d been before, if that was possible; but it didn’t matter much to us. We were pretty tired ourselves that night, and so we got Aileen all she wanted, and left her alone with him.

While we were away to meet her someone had taken the trouble to put up a bit of a partition, separating that part of the cave from the other; it was built up of stone—there was plenty about—and not so roughly done either. It made Aileen feel a lot more comfortable. Of course there was only one man who could have done it; and that was Starlight.

Chapter XXXIX

CHAPTER XXXIX

Towaros morning father went into a heavy sleep; he didn’t wake till the afternoon. Poor Aileen was able to get a doze and change her dress. After breakfast, while we were having a bit of a chat, in walks Starlight. He bowed to Aileen quite respectful, as he always did to a woman, and then shook hands with her.

“Welcome to the Hollow, Miss Marston,” he said. “I can’t say how charmed I am in one sense, though I regret the necessity which brought you here.”

“I’m glad to come, and only for poor father’s being so bad I could delight in the life here.”

“How do you find your father?”

“He is asleep now, and perhaps the rest will do him good.”

“He may awake free from fever,” says Starlight. “I took the risk of giving him an opiate before you came, and I think the result has been favourable.”

“Oh! I hope he will be better when he wakes,” says Aileen, “and that I shall not have to watch through another dreadful night of raving. I can hardly bear it.”

“You must make your brothers take their share; it’s not fair to you.”

“Thank you; but I feel as if I couldn’t leave him to anybody but myself. He seems so weak now; a little neglect might kill him.”