"'Tain't no use," said the woman, "she don't hear ye. An' if she did she couldn't speak. I've seen folks struck down with apoplexy afore." "Oh, will she die? will she die?" groaned the wretched daughter, dropping on her knees beside the couch. "Can't tell, mum; sometimes they die in a little bit, and sometimes they get purty well over it and live on for years. Here, let me put another pillar under her head, and some o' ye there run and fetch the coldest water that ever ye can git." Some one had summoned a physician, and he presently came hurrying in. His first act was to send every one from the room except the patient and her two attendants. With tears and sobs Virginia besought him to save her mother's life. "I shall certainly do my best, madam," he said, "but very little can be done at present. What was the immediate cause of the attack?" Virginia answered vaguely that her mother was fatigued with a long journey and had been worried and fretted. "This is not her home?" glancing around the meanly furnished dirty room. "No; neither she nor I have been accustomed to such surroundings," answered Virginia haughtily. "Can you not see that we are ladies? We are from the South, and mother has but just arrived. Oh, tell me, is she going to die?" "Her recovery is doubtful. If she has other near relatives who care to see her alive, I advise you to summon them with all speed." "Oh dear! oh dear! you must save her!" cried Virginia frantically, wringing her hands. "I can't have her die. They'll say I killed her! But every word I said was true; she did all in her power to make the match that has ruined my happiness and all my prospects for life." "So you, her own daughter, have brought this on by cruel taunts and reproaches!" the physician said in a tone of mingled contempt and indignation. "I hope you feel that the least you can do now is to take the best possible care of her." "How can I?" sobbed Virginia. "I've no money to pay a nurse or buy comforts for mother, and I know nothing about nursing or cooking for sick or well. I wasn't brought up to work." A boy now came to the door with a message from the hackman; "he couldn't stay any longer if the lady wasn't going to the steamer, and he wanted his pay." Virginia opened a small satchel that had dropped from her mother's hand, found her purse, paid the man his dues, and counting the remainder told the doctor there was enough to provide what would be needed for the patient until other relatives could be summoned, and that should be done at once by telegrams to be paid by the recipients. The doctor approved, and kindly offered to attend to sending the messages for her. CHAPTER IV. "O gloriously upon the deep The gallant vessel rides, And she is mistress of the winds, And mistress of the tides." --_Miss Landon_.