She would often play for him an hour at a time, and again she would be so languid that no coaxing could lure her from the sofa.

Occasionally she would even read aloud a few pages with her musical and sympathetic voice, but would soon throw down the book with an air of exhaustion, and plead that he would read to her.

In her weakness there was nothing repulsive, and without calculation she made many artless appeals to his strength.

He generously responded, saying to himself, "Poor little thing! she has a hard time of it.

With her great black eyes she might be a beauty if she only had health and was like other girls; but as it is, she is so light and pale and limp that I sometimes feel as if I were petting a wraith." Of late she had begun to go out with him a little, he choosing small and quiet companies among people well known to the Muirs, and occasionally her sister also went.