Whatever he was, whatever her feelings for him, she recognized that
this man was not the mate her girlish dreams had so fondly
pictured. Probably she would have realized this in any case from
the moment of their meeting, but circumstances might have compelled
her to join her life to his. And then------
Her look passed from him to Burke, and instinctively she breathed a
sigh of thankfulness. He had saved her from much already, and his
rock-like strength stood perpetually between her and evil. For the
first time she was consciously glad that she had entrusted herself
to him.
At the end of luncheon she realized with surprise that there had
not been an awkward moment. They went out on to the _stoep_ to
smoke cigarettes when it was over, and drink the coffee which she
went to prepare. It was when she was coming out with this that she
first heard Guy's cough--a most terrible, rending sound that filled
her with dismay. Stepping out on to the _stoep_ with her tray, she
saw him bent over the back of a chair, convulsed with coughing, and
stood still in alarm. She had never before witnessed so painful a
struggle. It was as if he fought some demon whose clutch
threatened to strangle him.
Burke came to her and took the tray from her hands. "He'll be
better directly," he said. "It was the cigarette."
With almost superhuman effort, Guy succeeded in forcing back the
monster that seemed to be choking him, but for several minutes
thereafter he hung over the chair with his face hidden, fighting
for breath.
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