Seth | Page 8

th' same place. Th' cholera couldna fear me fro' him--nor
nowt else if he wur i' need."
So it was Seth Raynor who watched by the bedside, and labored with
loving care and a patience which knew no weariness, until the worst
was over and Langley was among the convalescent.
"The poor fellow and Bess Janner were my only stay," the young
doctor was wont to say. "Only such care as his would have saved you,

and you had a close race of it as it was."
During the convalescence nurse and invalid were drawn together with a
stronger tie through every hour. Wearied and weak, Langley's old
interest in the lad became a warm affection. He could scarcely bear to
lose sight of the awkward boyish figure, and never rested so completely
as when it was by his bedside.
"Give me your hand, dear fellow," he would say, "and let me hold it. I
shall sleep better for knowing you are near me."
He fell asleep thus one morning, and awakened suddenly to a
consciousness of some new presence in the room. Seth no longer sat in
the chair near his pillow, but stood a little apart; and surely he would
have been no lover if the feeble blood had not leaped in his veins at the
sight of the face bending over him--the innocent, fair young face which
had so haunted his pained and troubled dreams. "Cathie!" he cried out
aloud.
The-girl fell upon her knees and caught his extended hand with a
passionate little gesture of love and pity. "I did not know," she poured
forth in hurried, broken tones. "I have been away ever since the
sickness broke out at home. They sent me away, and I only heard
yesterday--Father, tell him, for I cannot."
He scarcely heard the more definite explanation, he was at once so
happy and so fearful.
"Sweetheart," he said, "I can scarcely bear to think of what may come
of this; and yet how blessed it is to have you near me again! The danger
for me is all over: even your dear self could not have cared for me more
faithfully than I have been cared for. Raynor there has saved my life."
But Cathie could only answer with a piteous, remorseful jealousy:
"Why was it not I who saved it? why was it not I?"
And the place where Seth had stood waiting was vacant, for he had left
it at the sound of Langley's first joyous cry. When he returned an hour

or so later, the more restful look Langley had fancied he had seen on
his face of late had faded out: the old unawakened heaviness had
returned. He was nervous and ill at ease, shrinking and conscious.
"I've comn to say good-neet to yo'," he said hesitatingly to the invalid.
"Th' young lady says as she an' her feyther will tak' my place a bit. I'll
coom i' th' mornin'."
"You want rest," said Langley; "you are tired, poor fellow!"
"Ay," quietly, "I'm tired; an' th' worst is over, yo' see, an' she's here,"
with a patient smile. "Yo' wunnot need me, and theer's them as does."
From that hour his work at this one place seemed done. For several
days he made his appearance regularly to see if he was needed, and
then his visits gradually ended. He had found a fresh field of labor
among the sufferers in the settlement itself. He was as faithful to them
as he had been to his first charge. The same unflagging patience
showed itself, the same silent constancy and self-sacrifice. Scarcely a
man or woman had not some cause to remember him with gratitude,
and there was not one of those who had jested at and neglected him but
thought of their jests and neglect with secret shame.
There came a day, however, when they missed him from among them.
If he was not at one house he was surely at another, it appeared for
some time; but when, after making his round of visits, the doctor did
not find him, he became anxious. He might be at Janner's; but he was
not there, nor among the miners, who had gradually resumed their work
as the epidemic weakened its strength and their spirits lightened.
Making these discoveries at nightfall, the doctor touched up his horse
in some secret dread. He had learned earlier than the rest to feel warmly
toward this simple co-laborer. "Perhaps he's gone out to pay Langley a
visit," he said: "I'll call and see. He may have stopped to have a rest."
But before he had passed the last group of cabins he met Langley
himself, who by this time was well enough to resume his place in the
small world, and, hearing his story,