ut you cannot be sure, and you must not tire yourself out at the
beginning."

"I shall not tire myself. I can rest here perfectly, only I cannot leave
him."

"We met the doctor just now. He said he was coming here again. Will you
come if he advises it?"

Mrs. Costello again shook her head.

"You all think too much of me. You must leave me here, dear Mrs.
Bellairs, and Lucia can stay for an hour or two if she wishes; and tell
Mr. Bellairs how much we thank him, and that nothing can be done now."

Lucia looked wistfully at her mother's pale face.

"Cannot you trust me to watch here for a little while? There seems to be
so very little to do," she said; but Mrs. Costello had made up her mind,
and their friend left them both together.

As she went down, the doctor was coming in. She would not leave the jail
until she had heard his report; so she sat down to wait in Mrs. Elton's
sitting-room.

Doctor Hardy had little expectation of finding any change. He had said
to Mr. Strafford that the next four-and-twenty hours might bring the
final one, but even that would come softly and gradually. He knew also
that he should find Mrs. Costello installed as nurse, and guessed that
she had more than an ordinary interest in her task; but for the first
moment he doubted whether she knew the true state of her patient. This
doubt, however, she soon ended, for she asked, as he had been asked
before.

"Do you think it likely he may become conscious again?"

He shook his head.

She sighed.

"It is better so, no doubt, but I wish so much for five minutes even."

Then she remembered that she was speaking out her thoughts to one who
was not in her secret. She hesitated a moment, but as her eye fell upon
Lucia, she decided to trust this one more. Her voice trembled, however,
as she spoke.

"You have seen already," she said, "that we are not strangers; I think I
ought to tell you the truth. I am his wife; we were married long ago in
England, and separated when Lucia was a baby."

Doctor Hardy bowed. He did not know exactly what to say, and saw no
necessity for confessing that he had, some time ago, surmised pretty
nearly the facts he was now told.

Mrs. Costello went on: "I intended to acknowledge my marriage, but since
it can be of no benefit to my husband, my friends have persuaded me not
to do so. But you can imagine how much I wish----" She faltered and
stopped, looking at the dying man, who was never to know what care and