ating a mortal disease for many months
past," said John, "and to-morrow morning the issue is to be decided.
Every day, every hour of delay, increases the danger. The great
surgeon, Dr. Herslett, will be here at eleven o'clock, and on the
success of the operation he will perform, hangs the thread of your
husband's life."

Lady Mary put up a little trembling hand entreatingly, and John's
great heart throbbed with pity. He had chosen his words deliberately
to startle her from her absorption in her son; but she looked so
fragile, so white, so imploring, that his courage almost failed him.
He came to her side, and took the little hand reassuringly in his
strong, warm clasp.

"Be brave, my dear," he said, with faltering voice, "and put aside,
if you can, the thought of your bitter, terrible disappointment. Only
_you_ can cheer, and inspire, and aid your husband to maintain the
calmness of spirit which is of such vital importance to his chance of
recovery. You can't leave him against his wish at such a moment;
not if you are the--the angel I believe you to be," said John, with
emotion.

There was a pause, and though he looked away from her, he knew that
she was crying.

John released the little hand gently, and walked to the fireplace to
give her time to recover herself. Perhaps his eye-glasses were dimmed;
he polished them very carefully.

Lady Mary dashed away her tears, and spoke in a hard voice he scarcely
recognized as hers.

"I might be all--you think me, John," she said, "if--"

"Ah! don't let there be an _if_," said John.

"But--"

"Or a _but_."

"It is that you don't understand the situation," she said; "you
talk as though Sir Timothy and I were an ordinary husband and wife,
entirely dependent on one another's love and sympathy. Don't you know
_he_ stands alone--above all the human follies and weaknesses of a
mere woman? Can't you guess," said Lady Mary, passionately, "that it's
my boy, my poor faulty, undutiful boy--oh, that I should call him
so!--who needs me? that it's his voice that would be calling in my
heart whilst I awaited Sir Timothy's pleasure to-morrow?"

"His _pleasure_?" said John, sternly.

"I am shocking you, and I didn't want to shock you," she cried, almost
wildly. "But you don't suppose he needs _me_--me myself? He only wants
to be sure I'm doing the right thing. He wants to give people no
chance of saying that Lady Mary Crewys rushed off to see her spoilt
boy whilst her husband ho