the midday sun
Leo summoned to Marino the ablest physicians of Rome , who were in constant attendance , and heroic treatment was adopted . Both Mr. and Mrs. Harris were half crazed with the fear of losing their beautiful daughter , and Leo himself was nearly frantic . Lucille grew rapidly worse . Her strength and courage failed her , she became unconscious , and as the tall white lily in the midday sun loses its beauty and life , so Lucille passed from earth , her agonizing mother holding the dead daughter 's slender white hands . Leo fell insensible and was removed from the death-chamber by his servants . Womanly courage returned to the mother after a few moments of intense grief , and aided by others the necessary preparations were made for the removal of Lucille to America . Captain Harry Hall with his yacht en route to Athens had called at Brindisi to get a reply from a most important letter of his mailed to Lucille at Palermo .