CHAPTER XXXVI. THE EVENING STAR.

off,likeacaptive." Releasedfromthepressureofoverwhelmingfear,Claytonbegannowtofeelthereactionofthebodilyandmentalstrainingwhichhehadbeenenduringforthelasttwenty-fourhours,andthereforehewillinglyyieldedhimselftothedirectionsofhislittlesovereign.Retiredtohisroom,aftertakinghiscoffee,whichwasservedbyMilly,hefellintoadeepandtranquilsleep,whichlastedtillsometimeintheafternoon.Atfirst,overcomebyfatigue,hesleptwithoutdreamingbut,whenthefirstwearinesswaspast,theexcitementofthenervoussystem,underwhichhehadbeenlaboring,begantocolorhisdreamswithvagueandtumultuousimages.HethoughtthathewasagainwithNinaatMagnoliaGrove,andthattheservantswerepassingaroundinprocession,throwingflowersattheirfeetbutthewreathoforange-blossomswhichfellinNina'slapwastiedwithblackcrape.Butshetookitup,laughing,threwthecrapeaway,andputthewreathonherhead,andheheardthechorussinging,— "Oh,deNorthCarolinarose! Oh,deNorthCarolinarose!" Andthenthesoundseemedtochangetooneoflamentation,andthefloralprocessionseemedtobeafuneral,andadeep,melancholyvoice,liketheonehehadheardinthewoodsinthemorning,sang,— "Weep,fortheroseiswithered! TheNorthCarolinarose!" Hestruggledheavilyinhissleep,and,atlastwaking,satupandlookedabouthim.Theraysoftheeveningsunwereshiningonthetree-topsofthedistantavenue,andNinawassingingontheverandabelow.Helistened,andthesoundfloateduplikearose-leafcarriedonabreeze:— "Thesummerhathitsheavycloud, Therose-leafmustfall, Butinourlandjoywearsnoshroud— Neverdothitpall! Eachnewmorningray Leavesnosighforyesterday— Nosmilepassedaway Wouldwerecall!" Thetimewasafavoritemelody,whichhasfoundmuchfavorwiththepopularear,andborethetitleof"TheHindooDancing-Girl'sSong"andis,perhaps,afragmentofoneofthosemysticalsongsinwhichorientalliteratureabounds,inwhichthejoyandreunionofearthlylovearetoldinshadowy,symbolicresemblancetotheeverlastingunionoftheblessedabove.Ithadawild,dreamy,soothingpower,asverseafterversecamefloatingin,likewhitedovesfromparadise,asiftheyhadbornehealingontheirwings:— "Thenhastetothehappyland, Wheresorrowisunknown Butfirstinajoyousband, I'llmaketheemyown. Haste,haste,flywithme Wherelove'sbanquetwaitsforthee Thineallitssweetsshallbe,— Thine,thine,alone!" Alowtapathisdooratlastarousedhim.Thedoorwaspartlyopened,andalittlehandthrewinahalf-openedsprayofmonthly-rosebuds. "There'ssomethingtoremindyouthatyouareyetinthebody!"saidavoiceintheentry."Ifyouarerested,I'llletyoucomedo