Bell was his favorite, and he held her close to him while his eyes
moved past his father, whom he did not see, on to the door as if in
quest of some one. It was Katy, and, guessing his thoughts, Bell said:

"She is not here. She could not come now. She is sick in New York, but
will join us in a few days."

There was a look of intense disappointment in Wilford's face, which even
his father's warm greeting could not dissipate, and Morris saw the great
tears as they dropped upon the pillow, the proud man trying hard to
repress them, and asking no questions concerning any one at home. He was
too weak to talk, but he held Bell's hand firmly in his as if afraid
that she would leave him, while his eyes rested alternately upon her
face and that of his father, who, wholly unmanned at the fearful change
in his son, laid his head upon the bed and cried aloud.

Next morning Bell was very white and her voice trembled as she sought
her brother's side and asked how he had rested. She had come from a
conference with Dr. Morris, who had told her that her brother would die.

"He may live a week and he may not," he said, adding solemnly: "As his
sister you will tell him of his danger while there is time to seek the
refuge without which death is terrible."

"Oh, if I could only pray with and for him," Bell thought, as she went
next to her brother, mourning her misspent days, and feeling her courage
giving way when at last she stood in his presence and met his kindly
smile.

"I dreamed it was all a dream," he said, "and that you were not here
after all. I am so glad to find it real. How long before I can go home,
do you suppose?"

He had stumbled upon the very thing Bell was there to talk about, his
question indicating that he had no suspicion of the truth. Nor had he,
and it came like a thunderbolt, when Bell, forgetting all her prudence,
said impetuously:

"Oh, Wilford, maybe you'll never go home. Maybe you'll--"

"Not die!" Wilford exclaimed, clasping his hands with sudden emotion.
"Not die, you don't mean that. Who told you so? Who said I was near to
death?"

"Dr. Grant," was Bell's reply, which brought a fierce frown to Wilford's
face, and awoke all the angry passions of his heart.

"Dr. Grant," he repeated. "He says so because he wishes it. He would
like me removed from his path, but it shall not be. I will not die. Tell
him that. I will not die," and Wilford's voice was hoarse with passion
as he raised his clinched fists