“I am really sorry to break up this ‘goodlie companie,’ but ‘necessity has no law,’ and this particular case admits of no compromise. Mr. Bruce, I am here to ask you, your wife, and this young lady, Miss Emolyn, to come with me to the deathbed of my patient.” “Who is it?” inquired the astonished man. “Mrs. Ann Whitlock, the old woman whom I have been attending for the last few weeks at the Wilderness Manor-house; the same one to whom I was so suddenly called again this afternoon.” “Oh, yes. Well, poor soul, if she is dying, I am sure I’m very sorry for her; but I can’t help it. I don’t know her the least in the world. Why, I have but just got home, you see; and I don’t know——” “Oh, of course you don’t know anything at all about it; but your wife and this young lady both know the old woman who sends for them to her deathbed, and as they will not disregard her dying request, perhaps you will elect to go with them. Your presence is desirable, but not absolutely necessary.” “Oh, of course I will go. Since these ladies were acquainted with the poor old creature I can partly understand her desire to see them,” said Leonidas Bruce good-naturedly. “Then, as no time is to be lost, let me entreat the ladies to get ready for their ride immediately. The carriage is ordered,” said the doctor. Full of conjecture as to the cause of the summons, Mrs. Bruce arose, drew Emolyn’s arm within her own, and left the drawing-room. As the two women separated in the hall, the one to go to the parlor chamber, the other to go to the attic, Mrs. Bruce noticed that Em.’s eyes were full of tears. “What! weeping, my love?” she exclaimed. “Ah! she was very good to me. Always very good to me,” sighed the girl. “‘But the angels weep when a babe is born, And sing when an old man dies.’ You should not weep for the death of the aged, my dear. What can she want with us, Em.? Ah! I understand how she may want you; but _me_? Long ago she nursed my uncle, it is true, yet I scarcely ever knew her.” “I think, dear lady, that, as she knows you have me, she only wishes to see us both together, and perhaps commend me to your kindness. She _need_ not do that, of course, but she was always _very_ good to me.” “That is it!” exclaimed the lady, and then she hurried off to her room, while Em. ran up to the attic. In the meantime the ladies left in the drawing-room, Mrs. Catherine Bruce, and Miss Belinda Warde, came around to Dr. Willet for an explanation of this sudden night summons. The good physician parried their questions as politely as he could, and was still evading them when the door opened and Commodore Bruce came in, all booted and spurred for riding, and exclaimed: