s to let in the
sunlight and the sweet air. It was a glorious morning. The few last hot
days had brought everything out, with a rush. The boughs of the trees,
that the Professor had loved so to watch during his illness, were
swaying gently in the breeze, just as they had done when his eyes had
been open to see them. The wood-pigeons were cooing, the young rooks
cawing shrilly in the rookery. Valeria seemed to be stunned. She stood
gazing at the peaceful face, with a look of stony grief.

"I _can't_ understand it!" she exclaimed at last, with a wild gesture,
"I _can't_ believe he will never speak to me again! It's a horrible
dream--oh, but too horrible--ah, why can't I die as well as he?" She
threw herself on her knees, shaken with sobs, silent and passionate.
Hadria did not attempt to remonstrate or soothe her. She turned away, as
a flood of bitter grief swept over her, so that she felt as one
drowning.

Some minutes passed before Valeria rose from her knees, looking haggard
and desolate. Hadria went towards her hastily.

"What's that?" cried Valeria with a nervous start and a scared glance
towards the window.

"The robin!" said Hadria, and the tears started to her eyes.

The bird had hopped in at his usual hour, in a friendly fashion. He
picked up a few stray crumbs that had been left on the sill from
yesterday, and then, in little capricious flights from stage to stage,
finally arrived at the rail of the bed, and stood looking from side to
side, with black, bright eyes, at the motionless figure. Hitherto it had
been accustomed to a welcome. Why this strange silence? The robin hopped
round on the rail, polished his beak meditatively, fluffed out his
feathers, and then, raising his head, sang a tender requiem.

THE END.

* * * * *

APPENDIX

"Does Marriage Hinder a Woman's Self-development?"

_In 1899,_ The Ladies' Realm _asked several well-known women to write on
the set topic, "Does Marriage Hinder a Woman's Self-development?" We
reprint Mona Caird's ingenious response._

Perhaps it might throw some light on the question whether marriage
interferes with a woman's self-development and career, if we were to ask
ourselves honestly how a man would fare in the position, say, of his own
wife.

We will take a mild case, so as to avoid all risk of exaggeration.

Our hero's wife is very kind to him. Many of his friends have far sadder
tales to tell. Mrs. Brown is fond