he opened his door, and slowly and feebly descended the
stairs.

"My dear, dear Robert!" exclaimed Mrs Keswick, totally regardless of
the fact that Peggy was standing at the front door with her valise in
her hand, and that there was another servant in the hall, "how pale,
and haggard, and worn you look! You must be quite unwell, and I don't
know but that I ought to stay here and take care of you."

At these words a look of agony passed over the old man's face, but he
said nothing.

"But I am afraid I cannot stay any longer this time," continued the
Widow Keswick, "for my niece would not know what had become of me, and
there are things at home that I must attend to; but I will come again.
Don't think I intend to desert you, dear Robert. You shall see me soon
again. But while I am gone," she said, turning to the two servants, "I
want you maids to take good care of your master. You must do it for
his sake, for he has always been kind to you, but I also want you
to do it for my sake. Don't you forget that. And now, dear Robert,
good-bye." As she spoke, she extended her hand towards the old
gentleman.

Without a word, but with a good deal of apparent reluctance, he took
the long, bony hand in his, and probably, would have instantly dropped
it again, had not Mrs Keswick given him a most hearty clutch, and a
vigorous and long-continued shake.

"It is hard, dear Robert," she said, "for us to part, with nothing but
a hand-shake, but there are people about, and this will have to
do." And then, after urging him to take good care of his health, so
valuable to them both, and assuring him that he would soon see her
again, she gave his hand a final shake, and left him. Accompanied by
Peggy, she went out to the spring-wagon and clambered into it. It
almost surpasses belief that Mr Brandon, a Virginia gentleman of the
old school, should have stood in his hall, and have seen an old lady
leave his house and get into a vehicle, without accompanying and
assisting her; but such was the case on this occasion. He seemed to
have forgotten his traditions, and to have lost his impulses. He
simply stood where the Widow Keswick had left him, and gazed at her.

When she was seated, and ready to start, the old lady turned towards
him, called out to him in a cheery voice: "Good-bye, Robert!" and
kissed her hand to him.

Mrs Keswick slowly drove away, and Mr Brandon stood at his hall
door, gazing after her until she was entirely out of sight.