Just now, when he tasted it, the corners of his mouth went nearly to his ears, and he asked me please to pour it into Tzar's pan as I passed the kennel. If I had my choice, I would rather nurse a bucketful of hornets." "I am glad you have all been so good to him; you especially, who have a wife and children to claim you. I hope Mr. Herriott can soon be at home, and he will thank you. Now your responsibility ceases, because I have employed a good nurse, trained in a hospital, who will know what is best for him and make him obey the doctor's directions. David, I am sure you men will be considerate and respectful while she remains." At the door of the gardener's house, Snap dashed out, barking viciously. She called his name twice and held out her hand, but, eyeing her suspiciously, he growled and retreated across the threshold. Propped with pillows, Amos was on a cot near the hearth, and a newspaper lay across his knees. The room was bright with sunshine, and when Eglah entered, clad in black, her long crepe veil thrown back and falling nearly to the floor, the old man stared at her and almost shrieked: "Has the Lord God taken my lad? You wear widow's black for him?" "No, Amos. The Lord God took my father, and my mourning is for him." He threw up his arms. "God be praised!" After a moment, he added apologetically: "Madam, I mean I am thankful Noel is spared. You see, I think only of the boy." She drew a chair to the cot and took one of the gardener's wasted, gnarled hands in hers. "I did not hear of your sickness till three days ago, and I came at once, to see if I could not make you more comfortable while Mrs. Orr is away." "It makes no difference about my worn-out old body--that is a crippled hulk. My mind is in torment because of the lad's danger. Where is he now? In the ice on land, or locked up in the ship of the ungodly name, that can never break loose from the bergs leaning over her? Tell me, was your news later than my letter?" He dragged from his bosom two worn, soiled envelopes and held them towards her. One was postmarked St. John, N. B., the other Dundee, Scotland. As she opened them a bunch of yellow poppies and a little square of moss fell into her lap. She glanced at the dates. The oldest was from Upernavik, soon after the vessel reached Greenland; the most recent was from off Cape Alexander, where the "Ahvungah" was frozen in. "No, Amos, your news is the latest I have heard." Her voice quivered, and replacing the flowers in an envelope, she laid the unread letters on the cot. "Was your last letter from him the same date as mine?" "No; it was earlier." The cold, light-grey eyes in their deep, sunken sockets probed hers like steel. "Madam, it was your fault he went away." "No, his word was pledged before our marriage, and I am not responsible for this journey. I did all that was possible to keep him." Amos leaned forward and grasped her wrist.