u food and coffee. Bless us,
Florrie, we're not going to own we miss Electra's patent foods as early
in the game as this!"

She smiled at him. "I believe I am hungry, Billy," she owned. "That's
why I had my dream. They always have visions fasting. But it was a
beautiful dream. I wish I could have it again."

"You wait a minute. I'm going to get you a nip of brandy." She was
rising, and he put her back into her chair. "I know where it is." He
hurried down the path, but her voice recalled him sharply.

"Billy, come back. Don't leave me."

He returned to her, where she had risen and was standing tremulously.
That same dire change was on her face, as if old age had passed a sponge
over it. Her eyes regarded him, in a keen questioning.

"What is it, Billy?" she whispered. "What's coming?" He put her into her
chair, and she said again, "Don't leave me."

"I must." There were tears in his kind eyes. "Let me go one minute,
dear. I'll get you something."

But her frail hand detained him.

"Sit down, Billy," she was whispering. "No, kneel--there--where I can
see you. Keep hold of me."

He knelt at her feet, and she bowed her head upon his shoulder. He put
her back gently into her chair, again with the determination to get the
brandy; but her face forbade him.

"Florrie!" he called loudly.

No one answered. With the keenness of the shocked intelligence, summoned
to record the smallest things with the same faithfulness as the large,
he noted how the bees were humming in the garden. He and the bees were
alive, but his old friend was dead.

XXXIII

In the hushed interval after Madam Fulton had died and Billy Stark had
gone away sadly, knowing he should return to America no more, Osmond
went to find Rose. He had seen her briefly, in the common ways of life,
but it was evident to her that they were not to meet alone. Perhaps his
mind had fixed itself inexorably against her, she thought, and he meant
to see her only to say good-by. But even that contented her, if it must
be. The splendor of their understanding abode with her and made his will
seem easy. When the tide of new love went down, it would be another
thing; but now it was at the flood, and the light of heaven shone in it.

He came walking through the garden, and she saw him come. Grannie sat
out there among the hollyhocks, waiting for Peter. He had left his
painting to bring her a glass of water from the house, and she rested in
a somnolent calm. Grann