At last she opened her eyes and looked at Ida,
who smiled reassuringly. In a few moments the events of the past
day came back to her, and she started up and asked earnestly:
"Mr. Van Berg--is he safe?"
Ida stooped down and kissed her as she replied; "Mr. Van Berg is
rallying fast, and is out of all danger."
Jennie leaned back among her pillows with a smile of deep content,
and closed her eyes. When she opened them again Ida had gone, and
Mrs. Burleigh had taken her place as watcher.
But the need of such care passed speedily. The doctor, after his
morning call, said that the critical moment of danger had gone by.
So it had, but his understanding of Jennie's case was superficial
indeed, and he ascribed to his opiate a virtue that it had never
possessed. The balm that had soothed her wounded spirit was
the thought of saved life and the happiness that might result to
those in whom she was deeply interested. The dreaded anniversary
had passed, and she was profoundly grateful that it had ended in
physical exhaustion rather than in vain and agonized regret. She
readily obeyed the physician's injunction to keep very quiet for
two or three days, for memory during the past few weeks had caused
a fever of mind that was scarcely less wearing than would have
been the disease against which rest was the best safeguard.
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