e felt Miss Madden's hand
upon his arm.

'Oh, don't refuse! Let me give her some comfort.'

'It's the child she's anxious about?'

Alice admitted it, looking into her brother-in-law's face with woeful
appeal.

'Say I will see it,' he answered, 'and have it brought into some
room--then say I _have_ seen it.'

'Mayn't I take her a word of forgiveness?'

'Yes, say I forgive her. She doesn't wish me to go to her?'

Alice shook her head.

'Then say I forgive her.'

As he directed so it was done; and in the course of the morning Miss
Madden brought word to him that her sister had experienced great
relief. She was sleeping.

But the doctor thought it necessary to make two visits before
nightfall, and late in the evening he came again. He explained to
Widdowson that there were complications, not unlikely to be dangerous,
and finally he suggested that, if the morrow brought no decided
improvement, a second medical man should be called in to consult. This
consultation was held. In the afternoon Virginia came weeping to her
brother-in-law, and told him that Monica was delirious. That night the
whole household watched. Another day was passed in the gravest anxiety,
and at dusk the medical attendant no longer disguised his opinion that
Mrs. Widdowson was sinking. She became unconscious soon after, and in
the early morning breathed her last.

Widdowson was in the room, and at the end sat by the bedside for an
hour. But he did not look upon his wife's face. When it was told him
that she had ceased to breathe, he rose and went into his own chamber,
death-pale, but tearless.

* * *

On the day after the funeral--Monica was buried in the cemetery, which
is hard by the old church--Widdowson and the elder sister had a long
conversation in private. It related first of all to the motherless
baby. Widdowson's desire was that Miss Madden should undertake the care
of the child. She and Virginia might live wherever they preferred;
their needs would be provided for. Alice had hardly dared to hope for
such a proposal--as it concerned the child, that is to say. Gladly she
accepted it.

'But there's something I must tell you,' she said, with embarrassed
appeal in her wet eyes. 'Poor Virginia wishes to go into an
institution.'

Widdowson looked at her, not understanding; whereupon she broke into
tears, and made known that her sister was such a slave to strong drink
that they both despaired of reformation unless by help of the me