"Is he dead?" she asked, hoarsely.

"Oh, no, no, not dead."

"Hurt?"

Ellen nodded, trembling.

"How?"

"He was shot."

"Who shot him?"

"One of the workmen. They have him. Carl Olfsen found him."

"One of the workmen, when he has always been so good!"

Suddenly Mrs. Lloyd seemed to gather herself together into the
strength of action.

"Are they bringing him home?" she asked Ellen, in a sharp, decisive
voice.

"I think they must be by this time."

"Then I've got to get ready for him. Come, quick."

There was by that time a man and two women servants standing near
them, aghast. Mrs. Lloyd turned to the man.

"Go down to the drug-store and get some brandy, there isn't any in
the house," said she; "then come back as quick as you can. Maggie,
you see that there is plenty of hot water. Martha, you and Ellen
come up-stairs with me, quick."

Ellen followed Mrs. Lloyd and the maid up-stairs, and, before she
knew what she was doing, was assisting to put the room in perfect
readiness for the wounded man. The maid was weeping all the time she
worked, although she had never liked Mr. Lloyd. There was something
about her mistress which was fairly abnormal. She kept looking at
her. This gentle, soft-natured woman had risen above her own pain
and grief to a sublime strength of misery.

"Get the camphor, quick, Martha," she said to the maid, who flew
out, with the tears streaming. Ellen stood on one side of the bed,
and Mrs. Lloyd on the other. Mrs. Lloyd had stripped off the
blankets, and was pinning the sheet tightly over the mattress. She
seemed to know instinctively what to do.

"I wish you would bring that basin over here, and put it on the
stand," said Mrs. Lloyd. "Martha, you fetch more towels, and,
Maggie, you run up garret and bring down some of those old sheets
from the trunk under the window, quick."

This maid, who was as large and as ample as her mistress, fled out
of the room with heavy, noiseless pads of flat feet.

All the time Mrs. Lloyd worked she was evidently listening. She paid
no attention to Ellen except to direct her. All at once she gave a
great leap and stood still.

"They're coming," said she, though Ellen had heard nothing. Ellen
went close to her, and took her two fat, cold hands. She could say
nothing. Then she heard the roll of carriage-wheels in the street
below.

Mrs. Lloyd pulled her hands away from Ellen's and went to the head
of the stairs.

"Bring him right up her