Mrs. Tait had looked round at Jane's exclamation, but Mr. Halliburton's face was then withdrawn. He was standing outside the door when Jane went out. He did not speak; but took her hand in silence and drew her into the back room, which was their own bedroom, and closed the door. Jane's face had grown as white as his. "My darling, I did not mean to alarm you," he said, holding her to him. "I thought you had a brave heart, Jane. I thought that if I had a little unpleasant news to impart it would be best to tell _you_, that you may help me break it to the rest." Jane's heart was not feeling very brave. "What is it?" she asked, scarcely able to speak the words from her ghastly lips. "Jane," he said, tenderly and gravely, "before I say any more, you must strive for calmness." "It is not about yourself! You are not ill?" The question seemed superfluous. Mr. Halliburton was evidently not ill; but he was agitated. Jane was frightened and perplexed: not a glimpse of the real truth crossed her. "Tell me what it is at once, Edgar," she said, in a calmer tone. "I can bear certainty better than suspense." "Why, yes, I think you are becoming brave already," he answered, looking straight into her eyes and smiling--which was intended to reassure her. "I must have my wife show herself a woman to-day; not a child. See what a bungler I am! I thought to tell you all quietly and smoothly, without alarming you; and see what I have done!--startled you to terror." Jane smiled faintly. She knew all this was only the precursor of tidings that must be very ill and grievous. By a great effort she schooled herself to calmness. Mr. Halliburton continued: "One, whom you and I love very much, has--has--met with an accident, Jane." Her fears went straight to the right quarter at once. With that one exception by her side, there was no one she loved as she loved her father. "Papa?" "Yes. We must break it to Mrs. Tait." Her heart beat wildly against his hand, and the livid hue was once more overspreading her face. But she strove urgently for calmness: he whispered to her of its necessity for her own sake. "Edgar! is it death?" It was death; but he would not tell her so yet. He plunged into the attendant details. "He was hastening along with a small bottle in his hand, Jane. It contained something good for one of the sick poor, I am sure, for he was in their neighbourhood. Suddenly he was observed to fall; and the spectators raised him and took him to a doctor's. That doctor, unfortunately, was not at home, and they took him to another, so that time was lost. He was quite unconscious." "But you do not tell me!" she wailed. "Is he dead?" Mr. Halliburton asked himself a question--What good would be done by delaying the truth? He thought he had performed his task very badly. "Jane, Jane!" he whispered, "I can only hope to help you to bear it better than I have broken it to you."