But when the shadow gathered upon the face of her own loved father, the pressure upon her heart seemed almost more than she could bear.

The tears stole down her cheeks, and her eyes sought those of her mother with a glance of almost pitiful appeal.
The leech had stolen into the room, had stood beside the patient, had shaken his head, and stolen away.

He knew that his skill, such as it was, could avail nothing now; it was but the question of a few hours.
All day that stupor had continued.

Rachel had feared they would never hear his voice, or see the loving glance of his eyes again.
She had passed the time between a study of that wasted face, and an eager and restless looking forth from the casement, as though in search of something or somebody who came not.
Often she saw servants and messengers hastening this way and that, exchanging words with each other, and starting off afresh; but the one stalwart figure, for which she gazed with aching eyes, appeared not, and often a sigh would break from her lips, whilst from time to time a tear forced its way to her eyes.
Dusk was falling now.

She could no longer see across the expanse of park land which surrounded Gablehurst.