"I'm very weak, ma'am," he said at last, apologetically. "It's not like most men, I know, to take on so about that child; but, you see, my poor first wife loved her, and she seemed to be quite left to me to take care of; and now that she's gone it don't seem to me that I did my duty by her." Here Mrs Jared and Patty murmured strongly in dissent, and Jared cleared his throat with a loud hem, blowing his nose, too, violently the moment after. "I can't think that I did," said Tim, "but I did try; and if I'd interfered more when Mrs Ruggles--wonderful woman, you know, ma'am--when Mrs Ruggles corrected, I'm sadly afraid that it would have been worse when I was away. I went twice--three times--four times to Bedford Row, and told them how bad the child was getting, and they said they would communicate, and that was all there; for--God forgive me if I wrong any man!--I believe him as owned my poor little darling wanted to hear that she was--" Tim broke down and sobbed like a child for a moment, but he dashed away the tears and continued-- "I wasn't satisfied with the doctor, because he shook his head and looked serious; and when I got another doctor, who smiled and chatted, and said pleasant things, I felt angry with myself because I had not gone to him sooner. "What's the good of earning money and trying to save up a few pounds, if there is not going to be health and strength, ma'am? But it was of no use, to any one but the doctor, ma'am, his coming; and the poor child got to be weaker and weaker; and though she liked to go, and I would have carried her all the way till she could have sat down on a seat in the Park, where she could have leaned her head against me, and watched the people go by, the doctor said to me she must not go out, for the days were getting too short and cold. "So I made her a little sofy on my board, where she could lie and see me work, and thread fresh needles for me, and hold my twist, and wax, and scissors, and hand me fresh buttons. Then too she used to like to have a few flowers; but she would sooner go without them than me to leave her while I went to fetch them. But she used to get a good many; for Turfey Dick, who goes round with the chickweed, used often to bring us a bunch from out of the country, and--and God bless him for it!--he never took a penny, for he said he loved little ones, and wanted to bring her a bird. "She did not seem to mind at all; but she must have known what was coming, and could not bear me out of her sight for a moment. While now it was, ma'am, that she showed what she felt towards some one else-- shrinking and shutting those little soft eyes every time some one came nigh. "I don't believe in people's hearts breaking, ma'am," continued Tim, picking at the band of his hat; "but I could have held my head down and cried bitterly any time when she was so ill, and yet so still and uncomplaining.