d! Dolly died because you left
her!"

Another weary day and night, and then the old change came again. The
feverish strength seemed to come once more. Dolly would be propped up,
and talk. Before very long Aimee began to fancy that she had something
she wished to say to Miss Mac-Dowlas. She followed her movements with
eager, unsatisfied eyes, and did not seem at ease until she sat down
near her. Then when she had secured her attention the secret revealed
itself. She had something to say about Grif.

Gradually, during the long weary weeks of her illness she had learned
to place much confidence in Miss MacDowlas. Her affectionate nature had
clung to her. In telling anecdotes of life in Vagabondia, she had talked
of Grif,--Vagabondia would not have been Vagabondia without Grif,--and
there was always a thrill of faithful love in her simplest mention of
him. Truly, Miss MacDowlas beheld her reprobate nephew in a new light,
surrounded by a halo of innocent romance and unselfish tenderness. This
poor little soul, who was breaking her heart for his sake, showed him
sinned against but never sinning, unfortunate but never to blame, showed
him honest, sweet of nature, true, and faultless. Where were his faults
in the eyes of his first and last love? The simple, whimsical stories of
their loves and lovers' quarrels, of their small economies and perfect
faith in the future,--a faith so sadly wrecked, as it seemed, by cruel
Fate,--brought tears into Miss MacDowlas's eyes. Eloquent, affectionate
Dolly won her over before she knew what she was thinking about. He could
not have been such a reprobate, after all,--this Griffith Donne, who
had so often roused her indignation. Perhaps he could not help being
literary and wearing a shabby coat and a questionable hat. And Dolly
had in the end begun to see how her long-fixed opinion had softened and
changed. So she had courage to plead for Grif this afternoon. She wanted
to be sure that if he should ever come back, there would be a hand
outstretched to help him.

"He only wanted help," she said; "and no one has ever helped him, though
he tried so hard and worked so. Aimee knows how hard he worked, don't
you, Aimee?"

"Yes," answered Aimee, turning her working face away.

"I should like you to promise," said Dolly, wistfully, to Miss
MacDowlas. "It would make me so much happier. You have been so kind to
me,--I am sure you will be kind to him,--poor Grif,--poor fellow!"

Miss MacDowlas ben