.

Last night, as I sat a while before going to bed, I found myself hearkening for the sound of her breathing in the next room.

After a bit, when a minute or so went by and I could hear nothing, a sort of panic took me that some harm had happened to her: till I could stand it no longer, but picked up the lamp and crept in for a book.

There she lay sleeping, healthy and sound, and prettier than you'd ever think.

.