ken it."

He paused as if for an answer, but no answer came; Isabel was staring
white-faced with parted lips into those strong blue eyes of his: and he
finished:

"Blessed be the name of the Lord."

CHAPTER XII

A WINDING-UP

The curtained windows on the ground-floor of the Dower House shone red
from within as Isabel and Dr. Carrington, with three or four servants
behind, rode round the curving drive in front late on the Monday evening.
A face peeped from Mrs. Carroll's window as the horse's hoofs sounded on
the gravel, and by the time that Isabel, pale, wet, and worn-out with her
seventy miles' ride, was dismounted, Mistress Margaret herself was at the
door, with Anthony's face at her shoulder, and Mrs. Carroll looking over
the banisters.

Isabel was not allowed to see her father's body that night, but after she
was in bed, Lady Maxwell herself, who had been sent for when he lay
dying, came down from the Hall, and told her what there was to tell;
while Mistress Margaret and Anthony entertained Dr. Carrington below.

"Dear child," said the old lady, leaning with her elbow on the bed, and
holding the girl's hand tenderly as she talked, "it was all over in an
hour or two. It was the heart, you know. Mrs. Carroll sent for me
suddenly, on Saturday morning; and by the time I reached him he could not
speak. They had carried him upstairs from his study, where they had found
him; and laid him down on his bed, and--yes, yes--he was in pain, but he
was conscious, and he was praying I think; his lips moved. And I knelt
down by the bed and prayed aloud; he only spoke twice; and, my dear, it
was your name the first time, and the name of His Saviour the second
time. He looked at me, and I could see he was trying to speak; and then
on a sudden he spoke 'Isabel.' And I think he was asking me to take care
of you. And I nodded and said that I would do what I could, and he seemed
satisfied and shut his eyes again. And then presently Mr. Bodder began a
prayer--he had come in a moment before; they could not find him at
first--and then, and then your dear father moved a little and raised his
hand, and the minister stayed; and he was looking up as if he saw
something; and then he said once, 'Jesus' clear and loud; and, and--that
was all, dear child."

The next morning she and Anthony, with the two old ladies, one of whom
was always with them during these days, went int