Mrs. Staunton tottered upstairs. She was not in the least surprised at seeing George, but she leaned very firmly on him. They went into the sickroom, and when George knelt down by his father's bedside, Mrs. Staunton knelt by him. The doctor was going deeper and deeper into the valley from which there is no return. Earthly sounds were growing dim to his ears--earthly voices were losing their meaning--earthly sights were fading before his failing eyes. The dew of death was on his forehead. Mrs. Staunton, whose face was nearly as white, bent down lower and lower until her lips touched his hand. The touch of her lips made him open his eyes. He saw his wife; the look on her face seemed to bring him back to earth again--it was like a sort of return wave, landing him high on the shores of time. His impulse was to say, "Come with me--let us enter into the rest of the Lord together;" but then he saw George. George had thrown his arm round his mother's waist. "Let me keep her, father," said the young man. "Don't take her yet, let me keep her." "Yes, stay with the lad, Mary," said the doctor. It was a final act of self-renunciation. His eyelids drooped over his dying eyes--he never spoke again. CHAPTER X. George stayed at Whittington for a week; he followed his father to the grave. Mrs. Staunton clung to him with a sort of feverish tenacity; whenever he came into the room, her eyes followed him. A sort of wistful, contented expression came into them when he sat down beside her. During all the time George was in the house she never broke down. At last, however, the time came when he must leave her. "I must go back to my work," he said; "but you are coming to London soon, then I'll be with you every evening. You know my father has given you to me to take care of. It will be all right when we are in London together." "Yes, my boy," she replied, "it will be all right then. I don't complain," she added; "I don't attempt to murmur. I shall go to him, but he cannot return to me; and I have got you, George, and he gave me to you. I am willing to stay with you just as long as you want me." It was late that night when George left his mother's room. Effie was standing in the passage--the brother and sister looked at each other. Effie had come home the day after Dr. Staunton's death. "Come out with me for a bit, Effie," said her brother. They went into the garden, and she linked her hand through his arm. Dorothy Fraser had now returned to her duties in London; the Stauntons were to go up to town as soon as ever the cottage could be sold. It had belonged to the doctor. George was to live with them when they were in town, and perhaps Effie would be able to follow the great wish of her mind. There was just a possibility that she might be able to be trained as a hospital nurse. She looked up at George now.