Slowly  he  arranged  the  rug,  and  as  he  was  doing  so  she


OF  JOHN  JOHNS  255

gazed  at  him  tenderly,  saying  in  the  voice  which  since  her
illness  had  grown  weaker —

"  Ah,  John,  I  feel  I  shall  get  strong  again  down  there."

He  answered  carelessly,  "  Why  not  1 "

He  resumed  his  seat,  and,  drawing  from  his  pocket  a  packet
of  Parisian  newspapers,  began  to  read  them  by  the  faint  light
to  put  an  end  to  further  conversation.
But  after  a  while  she  said,  "  I  feel  so  sleepy,  Johnnie.  Kiss
me  before  I  go  to  sleep,"  and  he,  suppressing  an  imprecation,
was  obliged  to  rise  again  and  pretend  to  touch  her  forehead
with  his  Hps.  He  knew  that  he  might  have  refused  to  do  so,
but  his  experience  had  convinced  him  that  nothing  is  more
foolish  than  to  offend  a  women  for  a  trifling  cause.  There  was
always  danger  enough  in  doing  so  when  great  issues  were  at
stake.  For  the  second  time  he  resumed  his  seat,  and  as  the
train,  which  had  now  acquired  speed,  was  flying  southward,
shrieking  in  its  course,  he  was  left  to  his  reflections.
