Nor us that are left alone!' 'It will not help him!' the girl answered, shrilly and wildly; and her eyes, leaving Soane, strayed round the room as if she were that moment awakened and missed some one.

'No! But is he to be murdered, and no one suffer?
Is he to die and no one pay?
He who had a smile for us, go in or out, and never a harsh word or thought; who never did any man wrong or wished any man ill?
Yet he lies there! Oh, mother, mother,' she continued, her voice broken on a sudden by a tremor of pain, 'we are alone! We are alone! We shall never see him come in at that door again!' The old woman sobbed helplessly and made no answer; on which the girl, with a gesture as simple as it was beautiful, drew the grey head to her shoulder.

Then she looked at Sir George.

'Go,' she said; but he saw that the tears were welling up in her eyes, and that her frame was beginning to tremble.

'Go! I was not myself--a while ago--when I fetched you.