grieved, but it is over. I'm too tired to be glad or sorry about
anything any more."

Hester lay back spent and gray among her pillows.

The Bishop roused her to take the stimulant put ready near at hand, and
then sat a long time watching her. She seemed unconscious of his
presence. At last the nurse came in, and he went out silently, and
returned to his study. Rachel was waiting there to hear the result of
the interview.

"I can do nothing," he said. "I have no power to help her. After forty
years ministry I have not a word to say to her. She is beyond human
aid--at least, she is beyond mine."

"You think she will die?"

"I do not see what is going to happen to prevent it, but I am certain it
might be prevented."

"You could not rouse her?"

"No, she discounted anything I could have said, by asking me not to say
it. That is the worst of Hester. The partition between her mind and that
of other people is so thin that she sees what they are thinking about.
Thank God, Rachel, that you are not cursed with the artistic
temperament! That is why she has never married. She sees too much. I am
not a match-maker, but if I had had to take the responsibility, I should
have married her at seventeen to Lord Newhaven."

"You know he asked her?"

"No, I did not know it."

"It was a long time ago, when first she came out. Lady Susan was anxious
for it, and pressed her. I sometimes think if she had been given time,
and if her aunt had let her alone--but he married within the year. But
what are we to do about Hester? Dr. Brown says something must be done,
or she will sink in a decline. I would give my life for her, but I can
do nothing. I have tried."

"So have I," said the Bishop. "But it has come to this. We have got to
trust the one person whom we always show we tacitly distrust by trying
to take matters out of His hands. We must trust God. So far we have
strained ourselves to keep Hester alive, but she is past our help now.
She is in none the worse case for that. We are her two best friends save
one. We must leave her to the best Friend of all. God has her in His
hand. For the moment the greater love holds her away from the less, like
the mother who takes her sick child into her arms, apart from the other
children who are playing round her. Hester is in God's keeping, and that
is enough for us. And now take a turn in the garden, Rachel. You are too
much in-doors. I am going out on business."

When Rachel had left him t