and said, 'Papa is better, darling;' then took the baby from
Theodora, saying, 'Thank you, you shall see him soon; she was again
gone, Johnnie creeping after, whither Theodora would have given worlds
to follow.

After another interval, he returned with a message that mamma begged
Aunt Theodora to be so kind as to go and make tea for grandpapa; she
thought dear papa was breathing a little more easily, but he must be
quite quiet now.

Obeying the sentence of banishment, she found her father sending off a
hasty express to give more positive information at home. 'We must
leave them to themselves a little while,' he said. 'There must be no
excitement till he has had time to rally. I thought he had better not
see me at first.'

'Is he worse than John has been?'

'Far worse. I never saw John in this immediate danger.'

'Did this attack begin directly after you came?'

'It was the effort of speaking. He WOULD try to say something about
racing debts--Gardner, papers in his coat-pocket, and there broke down,
coughed, and the bleeding came on. There is something on his mind,
poor--'

Theodora made a sign to remind him of Johnnie's presence; but the child
came forward. 'Grandpapa, he told me to tell you something,' and, with
eyes bent on the ground, the little fellow repeated the words like a
lesson by rote.

Lord Martindale was much overcome; he took his grandson on his knee, and
pressed him to his breast without being able to speak, then, as if to
recover composure by proceeding to business, he sent him to ask James
for the coat last worn by his papa, and bring the papers in the pocket.
Then with more agitation he continued, 'Yes, yes, that was what poor
Arthur's eyes were saying all the time. I could only promise to settle
everything and take care of her; and there was she, poor thing, with a
face like a martyr, supporting his head, never giving way, speaking now
and then so calmly and soothingly, when I could not have said a word. I
do believe she is almost an angel!' said Lord Martindale, with a burst
of strong emotion. 'Take care of her! She will not want that long! at
this rate. Harding tells me he is very anxious about her: she is not by
any means recovered, yet he was forced to let her sit up all last night,
and she has been on her feet this whole day! What is to become of her
and these poor children? It is enough to break one's heart!'

Here Johnnie came back. 'Grandpapa, we cannot find any papers. James has
l