said, in her
faint voice, "I would like Thee to come and take me soon. I would like
Thee to take us all together--specially Mother and Grandmother--with me.
And please to make Grandmother love Thee, for I am afeard she doth not
much; and then make haste and fetch her and Mother to me. Amen."

"God bless thee, little maid!" said Dr Thorpe in a low voice. "All the
singing of the angels will not stay that little prayer from reaching His
ear."

"But list the child!" whispered Lady Lisle under her breath.

Honor lay a minute with her eyes closed, and then suddenly opened them,
and clasped her little hands again.

"I forgot to ask Him one thing," she said. "Please, Lord Jesus, not to
send the angels, but come and fetch me Thyself."

And her eyes closed again. Frances came softly in, and sat down near
the bed; and a few minutes after her, Philippa looked in, and then came
forward and stood in the window. She and Dr Thorpe looked at each
other, and he nodded. Philippa whispered a word or two to Lady Lisle,
who appeared to assent to something; and then she came to Frances.

"Dr Thorpe confirmeth me in my thought," said she, "that 'twill not be
long now; therefore I will fetch Father Dell."

But Frances rose, and laid her hand on her sister's arm.

"Nay, Philippa!" she said. "I will not have the child's last hour
disturbed."

"Disturbed by the priest!" exclaimed Philippa, opening her eyes.

"What do ye chaffer about?" cried Lady Lisle, in her old sharp manner.
"Go thy ways, Philippa, and send for the priest."

The noise aroused the dying child.

"Must the priest come?" asked the faint little voice from the bed.
"Will Jesus not be enough?"

Frances bent down to kiss her with a resolved look through all her pain.

"Ay, beloved--Jesus will be enough!" she answered, "and no priest shall
touch thee.--Mother! forgive me for disobeying you this once. But I
pray you, by all that you hold dear and blessed, let my child die in
peace! If not for my sake, or if not for hers, for their sakes--the
dead which have linked you and me--let her depart in peace!"

Philippa shook her head, but she sat down again.

"Have your way, Frank!" answered Lady Lisle, with a strange mingling of
sorrow and anger in her voice. "There is more parting us than time or
earth, as I can see. I thought it sore enough, when Jack set him on his
dying bed against the priest's coming; and then thou saidst never a
word. But now--"

"There w