"How? Eh?" aghast, and not sure he had comprehended the vehement whisper. "Go. You shall not come between us in these last minutes. You have the money now. Go away!" Van Ness wheeled instantly. He was plentiful in expedients for so slight an emergency as this. He beckoned the clergyman and doctor out of the room, and shut the door. "It would be better to leave them alone, gentlemen. The relation between Captain Swendon and his--ah--Mrs. Van Ness--has always been singularly close and intimate. The presence of so many strangers oppresses them both." "I readily understand that," rejoined Mr. Lampret eagerly, "as far as we are concerned. But do you return, my dear sir. Surely _you_--" But Van Ness waved his hand lightly: "No, no! I am comparatively a stranger to the dear old man. In a few moments--when all is over--I shall return to support and console _her_." "Delicate feeling there! Remarkably fine feeling, sir!" said the clergyman as he strolled with the doctor to his buggy, leaving Mr. Van Ness to the sanctity of his grief. "Going now? I shall remain until all is over. There appears to be a storm coming up," with a sad subjection of tone. The gathering clouds darkened the room where the captain lay dying: the wind sobbed gustily through the open window. His feeble eyes were steady as they never had been in life: he nodded from time to time as Jane repeated the old verses which he had taught her when she was a little child. "'Come unto Me.' That's good! It's all good.--Some water, Dave. What are you crying about, old fellow?--Yes, we'll read the Bible every day, Jenny. We'll begin all fresh. We've plenty of time--plenty of time--" Dave, holding the water to his lips, took it quickly away and fell upon his knees. "Oh, father! father!" The darkness was heavy and the wind blew fiercely as this overgrown boy's soul went out to love and dogmatize and make mistakes elsewhere. They let Jane lie a while upon his breast: she was as cold and motionless as the dead when they took her up. "I'll go for her husband," said the sobbing old negro. "No," said Betty shrewdly. "Let her alone a while. This is trouble enough, God knows, poor child!" When Jane's senses came to her, and she looked about her intelligently, old Dave cried eagerly, "I'll fetch Mr. Van Ness: I'll fetch yoh husband, Miss Jenny." She stood up quickly: "No. Let me be alone with my father a little while. Go out, please, and watch the door." "Nobody shall come in," said Betty. The room was nearly dark. She was alone with the dead for a long time. She stooped at last and kissed passionately the poor hand and face which had been close to her all her life. "Good-bye!" she said. "Good-bye, father!" * * * * * When Mr. Van Ness and the clergyman entered the room later, they found Betty there, her lean visage half terrified and half defiant. "Where is my wife?" said Van Ness with the sad authority becoming the master of this house of mourning.