The faint voice faltered here, and when it spoke again, it said: "Lift me up, Guy, so I can breathe better while I tell you."
He lifted her up and held her in his arms, while through the open window
the summer air and the silver moonlight streamed, and in the distance
was heard the sound of music as the dance went merrily on. And just
then, when she was in the minds of both, Daisy came, and her gentle
knock broke the silence of the room and startled both Guy and Julia.
Who was it that sought entrance to that death-laden and disease-poisoned
room? Not the doctor, surely, for he always entered unannounced, and who
else dared to come there? Thus Guy questioned, hesitating to answer the
knock, when to his utter surprise the door opened and a little figure,
clad in airy robes of white, with its bright hair wreathed with flowers
and gems, came floating in, the blue eyes shining like stars and the
full red lips parted with the smile, half pleased, half shy, which Guy
remembered so well.
"Daisy, Daisy!" he cried, and his voice rang like a bell through the
room, as, laying Julia's head back upon the pillow, he sprang to Daisy's
side, and, taking her by the shoulder, pushed her gently toward the
door, saying: "Why have you come here? Leave us at once; don't you see? don't you
know?" and he pointed toward Julia, whose face showed so plainly in the
gaslight.
"Yes, I know, and I came to help you take care of her. I am not afraid,"
Daisy said, and, freeing herself from his grasp, she walked straight up
to Julia and laid her soft, white hand upon her head. "I am Daisy," she
said, "and I've come to take care of you. I just heard you were here;
how hot your poor head is! let me bathe it; shall I?"
She went to the bowl, and wringing a cloth in ice water, bathed and
rubbed the sick woman's head, and held the cool cloth to the face and
wiped the parched lips, and rubbed the feverish hands, while Guy stood,
looking on, bewildered and confounded, and utterly unable to say a word
or utter a protest to this angel, as it seemed to him, who had come
unbidden to his aid, forgetful of the risk she ran and the danger she
incurred. Once as she turned her beautiful face to him and he saw how
wondrously fair and lovely it was, lovely with a different expression
from any he had ever seen there, it came over him with a thrill of
horror that that face must not be marred and disfigured with the
terrible pestilence, and he made another effort to send her away. But
Daisy would not go.