et them poke me
about, Grizel. Keep them away! It's a poor thing if one can't die in
peace." She was silent, munching her sunken jaws. Then the keen glance
wandered to the girl's face, and softened.

"Have I been rough with you, child? Bullied you? More than usual, I
mean. If I have, I didn't know it... Has it been a hard time?"

Grizel smiled again.

"You varied, dear. Rather fierce at times, and again quite meek, and
sometimes, terribly funny! You'd laugh, Buddy, if you could hear some
of the things you said!"

"Ha!" A wraith of a smile passed over the grey face. "Glad to hear it.
I'd be interested, but there's not time... Where's that fool of a
nurse? Keep her away; I want no one but you. Well, child, shall you
grieve for me when I'm gone?"

"No, Buddy, dear. I'll grieve for _myself_, but for you, I shall be
glad it's over,--the pain, and the crippledom, and the dulness, and the
waiting. I love you too much to want _that_ to go on. It will be
better..."

"Well! Well!" Lady Griselda sighed. "We'll see! Better than I
deserve--I'm sure of that. I can't even say I've done my best. I
_haven't_ but God knows, at the bottom of my heart I _wanted to_! I was
born sour, just as you, child, were born sweet. Seems unfair. I don't
understand... Lots of things we don't understand... That will be
interesting--to find out!"

She munched in silence for several minutes, her gaze lingering wistfully
on Grizel's face, upturned in the dim light.

"Good child," she said distinctly. "Good child! Kind. Loving. True.
You've been a comfort to me."

"Ah, Buddy, dear!" The deep, soft tone of Grizel's voice was more
eloquent than a caress. "It's been so easy! We've loved each other...
If it's possible where you are going, look after me still! I want to
feel you are near. I'll remember you always, and your dear kindness."

Lady Griselda frowned. A look of distress wrinkled her face.

"Kind!" she repeated. "I _meant_ to be! I wanted you to be happy--I
schemed for that--but it may be, I was wrong. I don't know, I can't
think. It's too late now, but I meant well, child, remember that! I
thought only of you."

"Buddy," said Grizel clearly. "All the money in the world is not worth
troubling about in these few last hours. Leave it alone! I shall be
happy, dear; God made me happy. Rest your old head, and don't trouble.
It's all quite, quite right."

Lady Griselda closed her eyes. The sand