d,' he said, 'sit down
and keep quiet.'

'Certainly I shall stay,' said his wife, 'because I know you want to
get rid of me.'

Joseph left her in the sitting-room, and went upstairs again to keep
his daughter company. Jane would not leave the bedside. To enter the
room, after an interval elsewhere, wrung her feelings too painfully;
better to keep her eyes fixed on the unmoving form, to overcome the
dread by facing it.

She and her father seldom exchanged a word. The latter was experiencing
human emotion, but at the same time he had no little anxiety regarding
his material interests. It was ten days since he had learnt that there
was no longer the least fear of a marriage between Jane and Sidney,
seeing that Kirkwood was going to marry some one else--a piece of news
which greatly astonished him, and confirmed him in his judgment that he
had been on the wrong tack in judging Kirkwood's character. At the same
time he had been privily informed by Scawthorne of an event which had
ever since kept him very uneasy--Michael's withdrawal of his will from
the hands of the solicitors. With what purpose this had been done
Scawthorne could not conjecture; Mr. Percival had made no comment in
his hearing. In all likelihood the will was now in this very room.
Joseph surveyed every object again and again. He wondered whether Jane
knew anything of the matter, but not all his cynicism could persuade
him that at the present time her thoughts were taking the same
direction as his own.

The day waned. Its sombre close was unspeakably mournful in this
haunted chamber. Jane could not bear it; she hid her face and wept.

When the doctor came again, at six o'clock, he whispered to Joseph that
the end was nearer than he had anticipated. Near, indeed; less than ten
minutes after the warning had been given Michael ceased to breathe.

Jane knelt by the bed, convulsed with grief, unable to hear the words
her father addressed to her. He sat for five minutes, then again spoke.
She rose and replied.

'Will you come with us, Jane, or would rather stay with Mrs. Byass?'

'I will stay, please, father.'

He hesitated, but the thought that rose was even for him too ignoble to
be entertained.

'As you please, my dear. Of course no one must enter your rooms but
Mrs. Byass. I must go now, but I shall look in again to-night.'

'Yes, father.'

She spoke mechanically. He had to lead her from the room, and, on
quitting the house, left her all but unc