heart with baby love.
Yes, you did love me then, you clung to me. I never thought of there
being someone else--a father, perhaps--oh, heaven help us both!"

She had raised herself soon after she began to talk; now she fell back
on the pillow fainting. Lilian was sobbing. Miss Arran came to her
relief.

"I think we must have a physician. I will see Mrs. Barrington."

The faint was of short duration. Miss Arran was strangely mystified. Was
Mrs. Boyd's talk an hallucination or some secret kept for years that
must needs make its way out at last? Had she any right to repeat it on
mere suspicion?

Mrs. Barrington sent for Dr. Kendricks at once. Then she went to Mrs.
Boyd's room. How very frail she looked.

"My poor child," the lady said, "this is very hard for you, and I think
you did not come in to dinner. Suppose you go down stairs for awhile?"

"Oh, no, I must stay here. Poor mother--"

"Lilian," murmured the feeble voice and the thin hand wandered out as if
for a clasp.

She took it, pressed it to her lips, her firm, warm cheek. Should she
pray for life? Would not God send what was best? Oh, that she might have
strength to accept it. She raised her eyes to Mrs. Barrington in
entreaty. Oh, who was she so like at that moment?

The doctor was announced. Miss Arran sat by the bedside. There was a
lamp on the table and he asked that it might be lighted, making a close
survey of the patient.

"Was there any shock? Her vitality is at a very low ebb. When was the
first unconscious spell?"

"I was out," began Lilian, tremulously. "She insisted that I should go
and seemed to want to be alone. I staid longer than I meant, and found
her fallen to the floor--"

Mrs. Boyd raised to a partly sitting posture and looked up with feverish
eagerness.

"I went to put something in the chiffonier--you will find it, Lilian, in
a box and the key is--oh, what did I do with it?"

"Never mind, dear," in a soft tone.

"But _you_ must mind, and then I turned--it was my leg. It is heavy and
I can't raise it, but the ache is all gone."

Dr. Kendricks turned down the blanket and examined the limb, nodding as
if convinced.

"Oh," she cried, "is it paralysis? Then it will not be long. My mother
had two strokes a week apart, her mother never rallied from the first.
I'm tired--worn out, and Lilian will be better off without me. She may
find--I have written it all out--it's there in the drawer--"

"Oh mother!" Lilian kissed her and put