"I have old-fashioned ideas," said my mother. A pink flush covered her face. I had never seen her more disturbed. "I have old-fashioned ideas, and they tell me that charity begins at home." At this moment Jane Fleming softly opened the door and came in. She certainly was a model nurse; so quiet, so self-contained, so capable. "Mr Jack is awake, and conscious," she said. "He fancied he heard your voice, Miss Rose, and he wants to see you at once." I glanced at my mother. She was standing with that bewildered expression on her face which mothers wear when their children are absolutely beyond their control. I made my resolution on the spur of the moment. "Come with me to Jack, mother," I said. I took her hand, and we went softly up-stairs to the attic bedroom. Jack's great big feverish eyes lighted up with expectancy when he saw me; but when he perceived that my mother accompanied me, their expression changed to one of annoyance. I went up to him at once, and took his hand. "Hetty is better," I said, "she has had an excellent night and is doing well. Mother dear, please come here. I shall go back to Hetty, Jack, and take all possible care of her, and nurse her, and make her strong and well again, if you will tell our mother who she is." "Yes," said Jack, at once. "Yes, oh yes; she is my wife." My mother uttered an exclamation. "Tell mother all about her, Jack," I continued. "I will leave you both together for five minutes, then I will return." I slipped out of the room, took Jane aside, and gave her a sovereign. "Jane," I said, "you are to make the beef-tea yourself, and you are always to have a supply, fresh and very strong, in the house. Whenever my mother seems tired or fagged you are to give her a cup of beef-tea, and see that she drinks it." "Bless you, Miss Rose, of course I will." "Buy anything else that is necessary," I said. "I am going away immediately, but shall be back on Monday afternoon." My five minutes were up by this time, and I stole into Jack's sick-room. He was stretched flat out in bed; his cheeks were wet as if tears had touched them, and one great muscular arm was flung round my mother's neck. She was kneeling by him, and holding his hand. The moment I entered she looked round at me. "My dear love," she said, "you are perfectly right; Hetty must not be left a moment longer than can be helped. Hush, Jack, you need have no anxiety for your wife. I--I will go to see her _myself_ if it is necessary." "No, mother, you must stay with me. You are so pretty and so gentle, and your hand is so soft. Hetty's hands aren't as soft as yours." Here he began to wander again. My mother followed me out of the room, the tears streaming down her cheeks. "Oh, Rose," she said, "the poor, poor boy. And you thought, both of you, to hide it from your mother?"