ave paid for them during the last five years!'

The heart of Darton was subject to sudden overflowings. He was kind to a
fault. 'I am sorry from my soul,' he said, involuntarily approaching
her. Helena withdrew a step or two, at which he became conscious of his
movement, and quickly took his former place. Here he stood without
speaking, and the little kettle began to sing.

'Well, you might have been my wife if you had chosen,' he said at last.
'But that's all past and gone. However, if you are in any trouble or
poverty I shall be glad to be of service, and as your relation by
marriage I shall have a right to be. Does your uncle know of your
distress?'

'My uncle is dead. He left me without a farthing. And now we have two
children to maintain.'

'What, left you nothing? How could he be so cruel as that?'

'I disgraced myself in his eyes.'

'Now,' said Darton earnestly, 'let me take care of the children, at least
while you are so unsettled. You belong to another, so I cannot take care
of you.'

'Yes you can,' said a voice; and suddenly a third figure stood beside
them. It was Sally. 'You can, since you seem to wish to?' she repeated.
'She no longer belongs to another . . . My poor brother is dead!'

Her face was red, her eyes sparkled, and all the woman came to the front.
'I have heard it!' she went on to him passionately. 'You can protect her
now as well as the children!' She turned then to her agitated sister-in-
law. 'I heard something,' said Sally (in a gentle murmur, differing much
from her previous passionate words), 'and I went into his room. It must
have been the moment you left. He went off so quickly, and weakly, and
it was so unexpected, that I couldn't leave even to call you.'

Darton was just able to gather from the confused discourse which followed
that, during his sleep by the fire, this brother whom he had never seen
had become worse; and that during Helena's absence for water the end had
unexpectedly come. The two young women hastened upstairs, and he was
again left alone.

* * * * *

After standing there a short time he went to the front door and looked
out; till, softly closing it behind him, he advanced and stood under the
large sycamore-tree. The stars were flickering coldly, and the dampness
which had just descended upon the earth in rain now sent up a chill from
it. Darton was in a strange position, and he felt it. The unexpected
appearance, in deep poverty, of Hel