ho had eyes to notice her approach,
and he strode forward and took her by the hands as though to keep
her away.

"Child, thou must not come here. Thy brother has been in a terrible
danger--half strangled by a creature raving in the delirium of the
distemper. It may be death to approach him even now. I would have
had thy mother keep away. Come not thou near to him. Let us not
increase the peril which besets us."

Gertrude stood quite still, neither resisting her father, nor yet
yielding to the pressure which would have forced her from the room.

"Dear sir," she said, with dutiful reverence, "I must fain submit
to thee in this thing. Yet I prithee keep me not from my brother in
the hour of his extremity. Methinks that a more terrible thing than
the plague itself is the cruel fear which it inspires, whereby
families are rent asunder, and the sick are neglected and deserted
in the hour of their utmost need. If indeed Frederick should fall a
victim, this house will be straitly shut up; and if it be true what
men say, the infection will spread through it, do what we will to
keep it away. Then what can it matter whether the risk be a little
more or less? Is it not better that I should be with my mother and
my brother, than that I should seek my own safety by shutting
myself up apart from all, a readier prey to grief and terror?
Methinks I should the sooner fall ill thus shut away from all.
Prithee let me take my place beside Frederick, and relieve my
mother when she be weary; so do I think it will be best for me and
her."

The father's face quivered with emotion as he took his daughter in
his arms and kissed her tenderly.

"Thou shalt do as thou wilt, my sweet child," he said. "These
indeed are fearful days, and it may be that happier are they who
let their heart be ruled by love instead of by fear. Fear has
become a cruel thing, from what men tell us. Thou shalt do thy
desire. Yet methinks thy brother has scarce deserved this grace at
thy hands."

"Let us not think of that," said Gertrude, with a look of pain in
her eyes; "let us only think of his peril, and of the terrible
retribution which may fall upon him. God grant that he may find
repentance and peace at the last!"

"Amen!" said the Master Builder, with some solemnity, thinking of
the fashion in which his son's time had been spent of late, and of
the very escapade which had brought this evil upon him.

All that night mother and sister watched beside the bed