nd away,
for this sort of pain seemed almost as bad as that he had left.

Rose drank, but held his arm tightly, as he would have turned away,
saying in a tone of command he could not disobey: "Don't keep anything
back tell me the worst at once."

"We knew nothing of it," he went on obediently. "Aunt Clara thought he
was with me, and no one found him till early this morning. A workman
recognized him and he was brought home, dead they thought. I came for
Uncle an hour ago. Charlie is conscious now, but awfully hurt, and I'm
afraid from the way Mac and Uncle looked at one another that Oh! Think
of it, Rose! Crushed and helpless, alone in the rain all night, and I
never knew, I never knew!"

With that, poor Archie broke down entirely and, flinging himself into a
chair, laid his face on the table, sobbing like a girl. Rose had never
seen a man cry before, and it was so unlike a woman's gentler grief that
it moved her very much. Putting by her own anguish, she tried to comfort
his and, going to him, lifted up his head and made him lean on her, for
in such hours as this women are the stronger. It was a very little to
do, but it did comfort Archie, for the poor fellow felt as if fate was
very hard upon him just then, and in this faithful bosom he could pour
his brief but pathetic plaint.

"Phebe's gone, and now if Charlie's taken, I don't see how I can bear
it!"

"Phebe will come back, dear, and let us hope poor Charlie isn't going to
be taken yet. Such things always seem worst at first, I've heard people
say, so cheer up and hope for the best," answered Rose, seeking for some
comfortable words to say and finding very few.

They took effect, however, for Archie did cheer up like a man. Wiping
away the tears which he so seldom shed that they did not know where to
go, he got up, gave himself a little shake, and said with a long breath,
as if he had been underwater: "Now I'm all right, thank you. I couldn't
help it the shock of being waked suddenly to find the dear old fellow in
such a pitiful state upset me. I ought to go are these ready?"

"In a minute. Tell Uncle to send for me if I can be of any use. Oh, poor
Aunt Clara! How does she bear it?"

"Almost distracted. I took Mother to her, and she will do all that
anybody can. Heaven only knows what Aunt will do if--"

"And only heaven can help her," added Rose as Archie stopped at the
words he could not utter. "Now take them, and let me know often."

"You brave little