How could she think of herself--when Philip was ill--suffering--threatened?
And how would he bear the news of Anderson's hastened departure?
As soon as she reached home, she was told by the sleepy butler that Mrs.
Gaddesden was in the drawing-room, and that Mr.Anderson was still upstairs with Philip.
As she entered the drawing-room, her mother came running towards her with a stifled cry: "Oh, Lisa, Lisa!" In terror, Elizabeth caught her mother in her arms.
"Mother--is he worse ?" "No! At least Barnett declares to me there is no real change.

But he has made up his mind, to-day, that he will never get better.

He told me so this evening, just after you had gone; and Barnett could not satisfy him.

He has sent for Mr.Robson." Robson was the family lawyer.
The two women looked at one another in a pale despair.

They had reached the moment when, in dealing with a sick man, the fictions of love drop away, and the inexorable appears.
"And now he'll break his heart over Mr.Anderson's going!" murmured the mother, in an anguish.