CHAPTER XXII
THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE
On her return from Murphy Ranch, Esther began to assist in the care ofKenneth Hastings. As yet, he had not recognized her. Sometimes, as shesat by him, tears would gather and roll down her cheeks. One day,Kenneth opened his eyes and asked:
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"
"I am Esther," she answered, "taking care of you."
"No, you're not," he said, wildly. "Get out of here!"
She stepped back where he could not see her. He rambled on.
"Some one shot!" He tried to rise. But Sister Mercy, entering, quietedhim, and he lay back, muttering. Occasionally, Esther caught the words"Esther," "gulf," "doubt." About an hour later, he awakened, quiet.She sat where she could watch his face, and learn her great lesson.
"Are you an angel?" he asked, with unrecognizing eyes.
She took one of his hands in hers, and rested her cheek against it.His hand grew wet with her tears.
"Are you a soul in bliss?" he asked, softly. "I knew an angel when Iwas on earth. But a gulf yawned between us, a gulf, a gulf!"
Then he seemed oblivious of the presence of anyone, and muttered:
"I have lost my way--lost my way,--lost."
At last he slept again. And Esther Bright, kneeling by his bedside,with one of his hands clasped in hers, prayed. Still he slept on. Whenhe awakened, John Clayton stood looking down upon him. Kenneth lookedaround, puzzled.
"Well, John! Where am I?"
"Here in my home. Are you feeling better, Kenneth?"
"Better? What do you mean?"
"You've been very sick, and delirious. But now you'll recover."
"What was the matter?"
"An Indian blackguard shot you through the shoulder. Septic conditionsset in, and you had a high fever. Keep still there," he said, as heprevented his friend from moving.
"Queer, John," said Kenneth, after a moment's pause. "I can't recallanything that has happened recently but a drive with Miss Bright justbefore she went away. But I can't speak of that--"
And Esther Bright, resting on the couch in the living room, heardevery word. A long silence followed.
"John," said Kenneth in a low voice, "tell her sometime for me, that Ihave lived a clean, honorable life. You know I have gone to thesaloons here sometimes, largely because other human beings were there.You know I gambled a little to kill time. So deucedly lonely! Tell herI wasn't bad at heart."
He started to say more, but suddenly stopped. And Esther, hearing inspite of herself, searched her own heart.
Dr. Mishell came the next day, and finding his patient deliriousagain, announced that he would stay with him till danger was past. Sothe physician and nurse again watched together.
It was the day Esther was to have left for Massachusetts. Whenquestioned as to the time of her departure, she now assured everyoneshe would stay till her sick people were well.
While Dr. Mishell sat by Kenneth, Mr. Clayton found Esther on theveranda, in tears. He pretended not to see.
"Does Dr. Mishell give any hope of Mr. Hastings' recovery?" she asked.
"Yes. There has been a decided change for the better this past hour."
He slipped his hand under her arm, and, together, they walked up anddown the path to the road.
"My dear friend," he said to her, "Kenneth _may_ die, but I know apowerful restorative, that might help to save his life, if we couldonly bring it to him." He knew her heart better than Kenneth did.
"Oh, let _me_ take it to him," she said eagerly. "I'd be so thankfulto have a chance to help save his life. He's done so much for me, andhe is such a loyal--friend."
"You shall be the one to bring him the medicine if you will," he saidsmiling.
"What is it? Where can I get it?" she asked, eager to go on her errandof mercy.
"Where can you get it?" he repeated. "You can find it in your ownheart. It is love that will save Kenneth, dear Miss Bright."
Her tears fell fast.
"I fear I have made him very unhappy," she said.
"I suspect you have," he responded.
"Did he tell you so?"
"No. You know he has been delirious from the first. In his delirium,he has talked of you constantly."
At last danger was past, and nurse and physician assured the Claytonhousehold that Kenneth Hastings would recover.
He awakened from sleep, alone. As he opened his eyes, they fell upon acopy of Tennyson's works. It was open at "The Princess." Someone hadbeen reading, and marking passages. He at once turned to the titlepage, and at the top, read a name he half expected to see. Could it bepossible that she was still there? He looked around the room. By hisbedside, stood a small round table, on which stood a low glass dish,filled with pink cactus blossoms. Near by, was an open Bible. Here,too, was a marked passage,--"faith, hope, love, these three; but thegreatest of these is love," He knew the Bible was Esther's. He laid itdown, as though he had trespassed upon her innermost heart. He closedhis eyes, and lay in a half-dream of possible joy. Over and over, thewords seemed to repeat themselves,--"the greatest of these is love."There was a quiet step, and Esther entered, looking fresh and cool ina white dimity gown. In her hands, was a bunch of cactus flowers. Shelaid them down, and with a joyous cry went to him, clasping his handin hers.
"You know me at last?" she asked. "I am so glad!"
Kenneth did not speak. She continued, "I feared you would never knowme again." She seemed to hesitate a moment, but went on. "I feared Icould never tell you what I now _know_, what I want to tell you."
"What do you know?" he asked. "What do you wish to tell me?"
"That I love you," she answered, and stooping down, she put her cheekagainst his.
"Look out, Kenneth!" she said, warningly, with a happy little laugh."You mustn't forget about the wound in your shoulder."
But he held her captive.
"What do I care for the wound in my shoulder, when the wound in myheart is healed?" he asked of her.
"I came to heal the wound I made in your heart," she said, while apink wave swept over her face.
Still he held her, drawing her closer to him.
"The lips," he said, "on the lips, as a penance."
"My penance is easy," she said with a happy ring in her voice.
Then drawing a chair close to the side of his bed, she let him gatherher hands in his.
"Strange!" he said. "During my illness I dreamed it would be this way.I must have dreamed a long time. You were always with me, I thought.You were always in white, and often brought me flowers. Once, I foundmyself in heaven. You met me, and smiled and said, 'Come.' You broughtme the most heavenly being I ever beheld, and placing my hand in his,said significantly, 'He loved much!' Then you vanished. And theheavenly being smiled upon me. And my heart grew glad. I began tounderstand the mysteries of life. Then I thought how you had led me tothe very fountain of love, that I might know how to love you purely. Ibegan to feel I could renounce all my hopes of your love, becausethere was something in that other presence that taught me that greatLove asks no return. It just loves on, and on. Then I thought thisheavenly being called me brother. And thousands of voices began tosing, 'Glory to God in the highest!'"
"Beautiful!" she said.
"Then I seemed to float in space, and I knew that you were near me.Your arms were full of flowers, and you offered up silent prayers forme that bridged the gulf between us."
She kissed him again, saying softly:
"Beloved, I did bridge the gulf with prayers. How stupid I was not toknow sooner!"
"Not to know what?"
"Not to know love when it came."
"But you know it now, Beloved?" he said, drawing the hands he claspednearer to himself. "I thank God for that."
He closed his eyes, and lay very still, still clasping her hands. Shewatched by him. At last, his hands relaxed their hold, and she knew byhis regular breathing that he was asleep.
John Clayton came to the door, saw how it w
as, and went away. So didthe others who came to inquire. And Kenneth slept on, a restful,restoring sleep. And as Esther watched, she repeated to herself:
"The Greatest of These is Love."
The Angel of the Gila: A Tale of Arizona Page 22
