leam of hope that he was
stronger in health or better in spirits than his wont; now rallied by
that sense of duty which can ennoble the humblest as it can the greatest
of human efforts, she watched over him as might a mother over an ailing
child. Catching at his allusions to "home," as he still called it, she
used to feed her hopes with thinking that at some distant day they were
to return to their own land again, and pass their last years in tranquil
retirement together; and now hope and duty were alike extinguished.
"The fount that fed the river of her thoughts" was dry, and she was
alone--utterly alone--in the world!

Old Andy, recalled by some curious instinct to a momentary activity,
shuffled about the room, snuffing the candles, or muttering a faint
prayer at the bedside; but she did not notice him any more than the
figure who, in an attitude of deep devotion, knelt at the foot of the
bed. This was Hanserl, who, book in hand, recited the offices with all
the fervent rapidity of a true Catholic. Twice he started and looked up
from his task, disturbed by some noise without; but when it occurred a
third time, he laid his book gently down and stole noiselessly from the
room. Passing rapidly through the little chamber which used to be called
Nelly's drawing-room, he entered the larger dining-room, in which now
three or four ill-dressed men were standing, in the midst of whom was
Abel Kraus in active colloquy with Mr. Purvis. Hanserl made a gesture to
enforce silence, and pointed to the room from whence he had just come.

"Ah!" cried Scroope, eagerly, "You 're a kind of co-co-connection, or
friend, at least, of these people, ain't you? Well, then, speak to this
wo-worthy man, and tell him that he mustn't detain our things here; we
were merely on a visit."

"I will suffer nothing to leave the house till I am paid to the last
kreutzer," said Kraus, sternly; "the law is with me, and I know it."

"Be patient; but, above all, respect the dead," said Hans, solemnly. "It
is not here nor at this time these things should be discussed."

"But we wa-want to go; we have ta-ta-taken our apartments at the
'Russie.' The sight of a funeral and a--a--a hearse, and all that, would
kill my sister."

"Let her pay these moneys, then, and go in peace," said Kraus, holding
forth a handful of papers.

"Not a gr-groschen, not a kreutzer will we pay. It's an infamy, it's a
sh-sh-shameful attempt at robbery. It's as bad as st-stopping a ma