would not be
restrained. She turned to her sister ablaze with righteous anger.

"What! You too? Would you keep him here, existing--merely existing--
not able to do anything--he who has been so active all his life! It's
cruel, I tell you--cruel and selfish! You ought not even to wish such a
thing!"

"My child, the issues of life and death are not in our hands!" The
voice of the old man sounded solemn and deep after the girl's heated
accents, and she caught her breath as she listened. "It is not for you
to decide what is best. If your father lingers in helplessness, it will
be for some wise purpose, and you will see that it will be less trying
than you expect. Nature herself will work in his favour, for, when
paralysis comes, on the brain is mercifully deadened against the worst.
He will not suffer, and in all probability he will be patient and
resigned. Is not that something for which to be thankful?"

Bridgie covered her face with a low, heart-broken cry, for the doctor's
silent assent to Esmeralda's verdict--the undisguised conviction that
the case was hopeless--came to her with a shock of surprise before which
her courage wavered.

"Mother dead--father dead! All those children alone in the world, and
no money for them, and only me--only me--" Her heart swelled with a
great wave of protecting love; she held out her arms and cried brokenly,
"Esmeralda, come--come to me. Darling, if we are to be alone, we must
help each other, we must love each other more! Oh, Esmeralda, be brave,
for I am frightened--I can't do everything alone!" And at that
Esmeralda gave a great cry and rushed across the room, and the old
doctor groped his way downstairs, leaving the sisters sobbing in each
other's arms.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

THE SENTENCE.

That afternoon and the next day passed away like a nightmare, and still
the Major lay in the same helpless calm. Mr Hilliard had gone over to
Dublin on his own responsibility, and had come back late at night,
bringing with him a trained nurse, at the sight of whom Bridgie shed
tears of thankfulness; but during the daytime the sisters took it in
turns to watch by the bedside, while Mademoiselle seemed to act the part
of guardian angel to the whole household in turns. She soothed the
excited servants and roused them to a sense of their duty. She cooked
dainty little dishes for the nurses, and ministered to them when they
were off duty. She interviewed callers, and, last