s gradually
cooled. Then Tommy's lips parted.

After another half-hour the doctor said:

'I must go now; I will come again at six. Do nothing but apply fresh
plasters. Be sure to keep his neck free. He is breathing, but I may as
well be plain with you--there is a great risk of your child dying in
this condition.'

Neighbours were again at the window, and Miriam drew the blind, waving
them away. At six o'clock the doctor reappeared. 'There is no change,'
he remarked. 'I will call in before I go to bed.'

When he lifted the latch for the third time, at ten o'clock, Eli Machin
and Miriam still sat by the sofa, and Tommy still lay thereon, moveless,
a terrible enigma. But the glass lamp was lighted on the mantelpiece,
and Miriam's sewing, by which she earned a livelihood, had been hidden
out of sight.

'There is no change,' said the doctor. 'You can do nothing except hope.'

'And pray,' the calm mother added.

Eli neither stirred nor spoke. For nine hours he had absolutely
forgotten his engine. He knew the boy would die.

The clock struck eleven, twelve, one, two, three, each time fretting the
nerves of the old man like a rasp. It was the hour of summer dawn. A
cold gray light fell unkindly across the small figure on the sofa.

'Open th' door a bit, father,' said Miriam. 'This parlour's gettin'
close; th' lad canna breathe.'

'Nay, lass,' Eli sighed, as he stumbled obediently to the door. 'The
lad'll breathe no more. I've killed him i' my anger.' He frowned
heavily, as though someone was annoying him.

'Hist!' she exclaimed, when, after extinguishing the lamp, she returned
to her boy's side. 'He's reddened--he's reddened! Look thee at his
cheeks, father!' She seized the child's inert hands and rubbed them
between her own. The blood was now plain in Tommy's face. His legs
faintly twitched. His breathing was slower. Miriam moved the coverlet
and put her head upon his heart. 'It's beating loud, father,' she cried.
'Bless God!'

Eli stared at the child with the fixity of a statue. Then Tommy opened
his eyes for an instant. The old man groaned. Tommy looked vacantly
round, closed his eyes again, and was unmistakably asleep. He slept for
one minute, and then waked. Eli involuntarily put a hand on the sofa.
Tommy gazed at him, and, with the most heavenly innocent smile of
recognition, lightly touched his grandfather's hand. Then he turned over
on his right side. In the anguish of sudden joy Eli gave a deep, piteous