to her. He would come and say one word--that he did trust
her, that he would trust her! But no; he came not at all; and the hours
of the day and the night followed slowly and surely upon each other, as
she sat by her father's bed watching the last quiver of the light in
the socket.

But though Trendellsohn did not come himself, there came to her a
messenger from the Jew's house--a messenger from the Jew's house, but
not a messenger from Anton Trendellsohn. "Here is a girl from the--
Jew," said Souchey, whispering into her ear as she sat at her father's
bedside--"one of themselves. Shall I tell her to go away, because he
is so ill?" And Souchey pointed to his master's head on the pillow.
"She has got a basket, but she can leave that."

Nina, however, was by no means inclined to send the Jewess away,
rightly guessing that the stranger was her friend Ruth. "Stop here,
Souchey, and I will go to her," Nina said. "Do not leave him till I
return. I will not be long." She would not have let a dog go without a
word that had come from Anton's house or from Anton's presence. Perhaps
he had written to her. If there were but a line to say, "Pardon me; I
was wrong," everything might yet be right. But Ruth Jacobi was the
bearer of no note from Anton, nor indeed had she come on her present
message with her uncle's knowledge. She had put a heavy basket on the
table, and now, running forward, took Nina by the hands, and kissed
her.

"We have been so sorry, all of us, to hear of your father's illness,"
said Ruth.

"Father is very ill," said Nina. "He is dying."

"Nay, Nina; it may be that he is not dying. Life and death both are in
the hands of God."

"Yes; it is in God's hands of course; but the doctor says that he will
die."

"The doctors have no right to speak in that way," said Ruth, "for how
can they know God's pleasure? It may be that he will recover."

"Yes; it may be," said Nina. "It is good of you to come to me, Ruth.
I am so glad you have come. Have you any--any--message?" If he would
only ask to be forgiven through Ruth, or even if he had sent a word
that might be taken to show that he wished to be forgiven, it should
suffice.

"I have--brought--a few things in a basket," said Ruth, almost
apologetically.

Then Nina lifted the basket. "You did not surely carry this through the
streets?"

"I had Shadrach, our boy, with me. He carried it. It is not from me,
exactly; though I have been so glad to come with it."