ly for thirty years.

"'I was clearing away my breakfast things,' said John, 'when I heard the
master's voice in the study close by. Oh my, he was that angry! I could
hear the words "disgrace," and "villain," and "liar," and
"ballet-dancer," and one or two other ugly words as applied to some
female lady, which I would not like to repeat. At first I did not take
much notice, as I was quite used to hearing my poor dear master having
words with Mr. Percival. So I went downstairs carrying my breakfast
things; but I had just started cleaning my silver when the study bell
goes ringing violently, and I hear Mr. Percival's voice shouting in the
hall: "John! quick! Send for Dr. Mulligan at once. Your master is not
well! Send one of the men, and you come up and help me to get Mr. Brooks
to bed."

"'I sent one of the grooms for the doctor,' continued John, who seemed
still affected at the recollection of his poor master, to whom he had
evidently been very much attached, 'and I went up to see Mr. Brooks. I
found him lying on the study floor, his head supported in Mr. Percival's
arms. "My father has fallen in a faint," said the young master; "help me
to get him up to his room before Dr. Mulligan comes."

"'Mr. Percival looked very white and upset, which was only natural; and
when we had got my poor master to bed, I asked if I should not go and
break the news to Mr. Murray, who had gone to business an hour ago.
However, before Mr. Percival had time to give me an order the doctor
came. I thought I had seen death plainly writ in my master's face, and
when I showed the doctor out an hour later, and he told me that he would
be back directly, I knew that the end was near.

"'Mr. Brooks rang for me a minute or two later. He told me to send at
once for Mr. Wethered, or else for Mr. Hibbert, if Mr. Wethered could
not come. "I haven't many hours to live, John," he says to me--"my heart
is broke, the doctor says my heart is broke. A man shouldn't marry and
have children, John, for they will sooner or later break his heart." I
was so upset I couldn't speak; but I sent round at once for Mr.
Wethered, who came himself just about three o'clock that afternoon.

"'After he had been with my master about an hour I was called in, and
Mr. Wethered said to me that Mr. Brooks wished me and one other of us
servants to witness that he had signed a paper which was on a table by
his bedside. I called Pat Mooney, the head footman, and before us both
Mr. B