d began to feed Andrew with it; and at
the warm scent of the food he revived a little. It charmed me to see the
tender skill which my Harry showed in his ministerings. As I stood
looking on, the woman came up to me, and with a sort of simple grace let
me know who she was; 'twas Mary, the wife of Ned Giles, the seaman, and
the man with her was Giles himself.

'You will forgive us, madam,' she said, 'for thrusting our company on
you unbidden; it's for love of this your kinsman we come, Mr. Truelocke
having sent us word we could be useful about him.'

'Kay,' I said, 'never ask forgiveness for such goodness; do you know
this house is reputed to be infected?' but she said, smiling,--

'Madam, I who was all but dead of the Plague not long since have little
fear of it left.'

While she spoke I saw that Harry was urging something on Althea, who was
still sitting at Andrew's head; she answered at last, 'As you will. I
may not gainsay you;' and yielded up her place to that good woman, who
came eagerly to take it when Harry called her.

'Now go and rest awhile till we call you--you have need,' Harry said to
us; but Althea, as if she heard him not, stood looking down on Andrew
and his nurse.

'Does God forget His own?' she muttered; 'is this the reward of His
servants? chains, cruelty, starvation?'

Andrew must have caught her words, for he half raised his head, and his
languid eye brightened.

'Dear heart,' he said feebly, 'thou knowest little yet. Thou hast seen
my prison, thou didst not see the Heavenly Guest who made it a heaven
to me; thou hast seen me lacking bread, thou knowest nought of the
angels' food with which He fed me.'

As he said this he sank down again, but Mary Giles caught him in her
arms; and Harry said imperiously to Althea and me,--

'Leave him to us; it is best he should not speak; get you to your own
rest, you need to renew your strength; so we went meekly enough, Althea
saying when we were in our sleeping-room,--

'Harry hath got the trick of command very perfect, that's certain; and I
may say, Lucy, I am weary at last of ruling over you and Will; it's not
amiss there is one here who has a mind to rule me instead.'

Then we knelt down together and gave thanks for the great mercy of the
day; and we implored passionately that the life of Andrew should be
given back to us. Althea at the end of our prayer still remained
kneeling; then beginning to weep she sobbed out, 'I think, I hope, I can
say,