of talking delighted him.

"You think this is a joke," said Charlton, shaking his bullet head.
"Have you any affairs to settle? If you have, send for your lawyer in
the morning."

Fear--the Great Fear--suddenly laid its icy long fingers upon the
throat of the old man. He gasped and his eyes rolled. "Don't trifle
with me, Charlton," he muttered. "You know you will pull me through."

"I'll do my best," said Charlton. "I promise nothing. I'm serious
about the lawyer."

"I don't want no lawyer hanging round my bed," growled the old man.
"It'd kill me. I've got nothing to settle. I don't run things with
loose ends. And there's Jinny and Marthy and the boy--share and share
alike."

"Well--you're in no immediate danger. I'll come early to-morrow."

"Wait till I get to sleep."

"You'll be asleep as soon as the light's down. But I'll stop a few
minutes and talk to your daughter."

Charlton found Jane at the window in the dressing room next her
father's bedroom. He said loudly enough for the old man to overhear:

"Your father's all right for the present, so you needn't worry. Come
downstairs with me. He's to go to sleep now."

Jane went in and kissed the bulging bony forehead. "Good night, popsy."

"Good night, Jinny dear," he said in a softer voice than she had ever
heard from him. "I'm feeling very comfortable now, and sleepy. If
anything should happen, don't forget what I said about not temptin'
your brother by trustin' him too fur. Look after your own affairs.
Take Mr. Haswell's advice. He's stupid, but he's honest and careful
and safe. You might talk to Dr. Charlton about things, too. He's
straight, and knows what's what. He's one of them people that gives
everybody good advice but themselves. If anything should happen----"

"But nothing's going to happen, popsy."

"It might. I don't seem to care as much as I did. I'm so tarnation
tired. I reckon the goin' ain't as bad as I always calculated. I
didn't know how tired they felt and anxious to rest."

"I'll turn down the light. The nurse is right in there."

"Yes--turn the light. If anything should happen, there's an envelope
in the top drawer in my desk for Dr. Charlton. But don't tell him till
I'm gone. I don't trust nobody, and if he knowed there was something
waiting, why, there's no telling----"

The old man had drowsed off. Jane lowered the light and went down to
join Charlton on the front veranda, where he was smoking a c