my fault."

"Ah, you must not talk, darling," said Howard; "we will talk later on;
just let me be sure that you won't leave me--that is enough, that's all
I want, just we two together again, and the dear child, ours for ever."

"The dear child," said Maud, "that is right--he is ours, beloved. I
will tell you about him."

"Not now," said Howard, "not now."

Maud gave him a nod, in her old way, just the ghost of a nod; and then
just put her face beside his own, and lay in silence, till he was
called away. Then she kissed his hand as he bent over her, and said,
"Don't be afraid, dearest--I am coming back--it is like a great
staircase, with light at the top. I went just to the edge--it's full of
sweet sound there, and now I am coming down again. Those are my
dreams," she added; "I am not out of my dreams yet."

Howard went out, waving his hand; he found Mrs. Graves beside him.

"Yes," she said, "I have no more fear."

Howard was suddenly seized with faintness, uncontrollable dizziness.
Mrs. Graves took him to the library, and made him sit down, but his
weakness continued in spite of himself.

"I really am ashamed of myself," he said, "for this dreadful
exhibition."

"Exhibition!" said Mrs. Graves, "it's the best thing that can happen. I
must tell you that I have been even more anxious about you than Maud,
because you either couldn't or wouldn't break down--those are the
people who are in danger at a time like this! Why the sight of you has
half killed me, dear boy! If you had ever said you were miserable, or
been rude or irritable, or forgotten yourself for a moment, I should
have been happier. It's very chivalrous and considerate, of course;
though you will say that you didn't think of that; but it's hardly
human--and now at last I see you are flesh and blood again."

"Well, I am not sure that it isn't what I thought about you," said
Howard.

"Ah," said Mrs. Graves, "I am an old woman; and I don't think death is
so terrible to me. Life is interesting enough, but I should often be
glad to get away; there is something beyond that is a good deal easier
and more beautiful. But I don't expect you to feel that."

"You think she will get well?" said Howard faintly.

"Yes, she will get well, and soon," said Mrs. Graves. "She has been
resting in her own natural way. The poor dearest baby--you don't know,
you can't know, what that means to Maud and even to me; you will have
to be very good to her for a long time yet;