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HISGREATHOUR
Saturdaynightateighto’clock。
Sothefiathadgoneforth，withnoconcessiontobemadeonaccountofweather。
AsOswaldcamefromhissupperandtookalookattheheavensfromthesmallfrontporch，hewasdeeplytroubledthatOrlandohadremainedsoobstinateonthispoint。Fortherewereominouscloudsrollingupfromtheeast，andthestormsinthisregionofhighmountainsandabruptvalleyswerenotlight，norwithoutdangereventothosewithfeetwellplanteduponmotherearth。
Ifthetempestshouldcomeupbeforeeight！
Mr。Challoner，who，fromsomemysteriousimpulseofbravadoonthepartofBrotherson，wastobeallowedtomakethethirdinthissmallbandofspectators，wasequallyconcernedatthissight，butnotforBrotherson。HisfearswereforOswald，whoseslowlygatheringstrengthcouldillybearthestrainwhichthisadditionalanxietyforhisbrother’slifemustimposeuponhim。AsforDoris，shewasinastateofexcitementmoreconnectedwiththepastthanwiththefuture。ThatafternoonshehadlaidherhandinthatofOrlandoBrotherson，andwishedhimwell。She！inwhosebreaststilllingeredreminiscencesofthoseolddoubtswhichhadbecloudedhisimageforherattheirfirstmeeting。Shehadnotbeenabletoavoidit。Hislookwasacompellingone，andithaddemandedthusmuchfromher；and-aterriblethoughttohergentlespirit-hemightbegoingtohisdeath！
Ithadbeensettledbytheprospectiveaviatorthattheyweretowatchfortheascentfromthemouthofthegrassyroadleadingintothehangar。Thethreeweretomeetthereataquartertoeightandawaitthestrokeandtheair-carsrise。Thattimewasnear，andMr。Challoner，catchingaglimpseofOswald’spallidandunnaturallydrawnfeatures，ashesetdownthelanternhecarried，shudderedwithforebodingandwishedthehourpassed。
Doris’watchfulglanceneverleftthefacewhoselightestchangewasmoretoherthanallOrlando’shopes。Buttheresultuponherwasnottoweakenherresolution，buttostrengthenit。Whatevertheoutcomeofthenextfewminutes，shemuststandreadytosustainherinvalidthroughit。Thatthedarknessofearlyeveninghaddeepenedtooppression，wasunnoticedforthemoment。Thefearsofanhourpasthadbeenforgotten。Theirattentionwastooabsorbedinwhatwasgoingonbeforethem，forevenaglanceoverhead。
SuddenlyMr。Challonerspoke。”WhoisthemanwhomMr。Brothersonhasaskedtogoupwithhim?”
ItwasOswaldwhoanswered。”Hehasnevertoldme。Hehaskepthisowncounselaboutthatasabouteverythingelseconnectedwiththismatter。HesimplyadvisedmethatIwasnottobotherabouthimanymore；thathehadfoundtheassistanthewanted。””Suchreticenceseemsunpardonable。Youhave-displayedgreatpatience，Oswald。””BecauseIunderstandOrlando。Hereadsmen’snatureslikeabook。
Themanhetrusts，wemaytrust。To-morrow，hewillspeakopenlyenough。Allcauseforreticencewillbegone。”Youhaveconfidencetheninthesuccessofthisundertaking?””IfIhadn’t，Ishouldnotbehere。Icouldhardlybeartowitnesshisfailure，eveninasecrettestlikethis。Ishouldfindittoohardtofacehimafterwards。””Idon’tunderstand。””Orlandohasgreatpride。IfthisenterprisefailsIcannotanswerforhim。Hewouldbecapableofanything。Why，Doris！whatisthematter，child?Ineversawyoulooklikethatbefore。”
Shehadbeendownonherkneesregulatingthelantern，andthesuddenflame，shootingup，hadshownhimherfaceturneduptowardshisinanapprehensionwhichvergedonhorror。”DoIlookfrightened?”sheasked，rememberingherselfandlightlyrising。”IbelievethatIamalittlefrightened。If-ifanythingshouldgowrong！Ifanaccident-”Butheresherememberedherselfagainandquicklychangedhertone。”Butyourconfidenceshallbemine。Iwillbelieveinhisgoodangelor-orinhisself-commandandgreatresolution。I’
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