Part 6 (2/2)

”On the occasion of his next visit, I was dressed and walking up and down the rooo I WOULD

Laura was dying (I did not really think she was, but I wanted to be near her) I insisted upon his taking the stitches out of ive in At 6 praph-posts flying pastover every possibility I was sitting near her bed with the baby onat the nurse's anecdotes, talking and whispering over the thousand fe to hearOr perhaps she was dying asking forinstead of being with her Oh, how often the train stopped! Did any one really live at these stations? No one got out; they did not look like real places; why should the train stop? Should I tell the?We had prayed so often to die the sa to die it could not be her vitality was too splendid, her youth too great God would not allow this thing How stiff es; and if I cried they would all coot out and sat in the vast eating- rooas A crowd of people were talking of a hunting accident: this was yman shook hands with her; he said some one had died I moved away

”'World! Trewth! The Globe! Paper, miss? Paper? '

”'No, thank you'

”'London train!' was shouted and I got in I knew by the loud galloping sound that ere going between high houses and at each gallop the wheels seemed to say, 'Too late--too late!' After a succession of hoarse screaht I saw a pale, grave face, and recognised Evan Charteris, who had coham to meet me I said:

'”Is she dead?' ”To which he answered: ”'No, but very, very ill'

”We drove in silence to 4 Upper Brook Street

Papa, Jack and Godfrey Webb stood in the hall They stopped me as I passed and said: 'She is no worse'; but I could not listen I saw Arthur Balfour and Spencer Lyttelton standing near the door of Alfred's room They said: ”'You look ill Have you had a fall?'

”I explained the plaster on o upstairs to see Laura; and they said they thought I , I stood in the open doorway of the boudoir Ain an arm-chair by a table with a candle on it It was Alfred and I passed on I saw the silhouette of a woh the open door of Laura's room; this was Charty

We held each other close to our hearts her face felt hot and her eyes were heavy

”'Don't look at her to-night, sweet She is unconscious,' she said

”I did not take this in and asked to be allowed to say one word to herI said:

”'I know she'd like to see o away quickly Indeed, indeed I would not tire her! I want to tell her the train was late and the doctor would not let me come up yesterday Only one second, PLEASE, Charty! '

”'But,heart, she's unconscious She has never been conscious all day She would not know you!'

”I sank stunned upon the stair Soo to bed, it is past one No, you can't sleep here: there's no bed You must lie down; a sofa won't do, you are too ill Very well, then, you are not ill, but you will be to- o to bed'

”I foundone of my arms and Spencer Lyttelton the other They took me to 40 Grosvenor Square I went to bed and early nextI went across to Upper Brook Street The servant looked happy:

”'She's better, miss, and she's conscious'

”I flew upstairs, and Charty own She was cal and more intense, had coo in now'

”I felt a rushi+ng of erness that half- stopped me as I opened the door and stood at the foot of the wooden bed and gazed at as left of Laura

”Her face had shrunk to the size of a child's; her lashes lay a black wall on the whitest of cheeks; her hair was hanging dragged up from her square brow in heavy folds upon the pillow Her htly shut and a dark blood-stainsilence, she moved and muttered and opened her eyes She fixed them on me, and my heart stopped I stretched my hands out towards her, and said, 'Laura!' But the sound died; she did not know me I knew after that she could not live

”People went away for the Easter Holidays: Papa to North Berwick, Arthur Balfour to Westward Ho! and every day Godfrey Webb rode a patient cob up to the front door, to hear that she was no better