The war had killed him.

Financial embarrassment was already closing on him when it broke out, and he could not stand the shock and the general dislocation of the first weeks, as sounder men could.

The terror of ruin broke him down--and he was dead before Christmas, nominally of bronchitis and heart failure.
Nelly had worn mourning for him up to her wedding day.

She had been very sorry for 'poor papa'-- and very fond of him; whereas Bridget had been rather hard on him always.

For really he had done his best.