"_Allons_, Monsieur, you must have courage. Calm yourself; you are not going to die yet, and we must hope for the best. You may live to see many people yet." M. Linders appeared scarcely to hear what he was saying; but in a few moments his face relaxed, and a new expression came into it, which seemed to soften the grey, ghastly look. "My poor little girl!" he said, with a sort of groan--"my little Madelon!--to leave thee all alone, _pauvre petite!_" "It was precisely of her that I wished to speak," said Graham. "I am afraid, in any case, you must look forward to a long illness, and, on her account, is there no friend, no relation you would wish to send for?" "I have no friends--no relations," said M. Linders, impatiently. "A long illness? Bah! M. le Docteur, I know, and you know that I am going to die--to-day, to-morrow, who knows?-- and she will be left alone. She has no one in the world but me, and she has been foolish enough to love me--my little one!" He paused for a moment, and then went on, with a vehemence that struggled for utterance, with his hoarse feeble voice and failing breath. "If this cursed accident had happened but one day sooner or later, I could have left her a fortune--but a superb fortune; only one day sooner--I had it two days ago--or to-morrow--I should have had my revenge last night of that _scelerat_--that devil--that Legros, and won back the money he cheated me of, he--he--of all men, a mere beginner, a smatterer--ah! if I had been the man I once was, it would have been a different account to settle----" He lay back panting, but began again before Graham could speak. "I only want time--give me a little time, and my little Madeleine shall have such a fortune as shall make her independent of every one; or stay, why not send for him now? I will give you his address--yes, now--now at once, before it is too late!" "That is quite impossible, Monsieur," Graham answered with decision; "and if you agitate yourself in this way, I must refuse to listen to another word. You are doing all you can to lessen your chances of recovery." "You do not play, Monsieur?" said M. Linders, struck with a new idea, and not in the least attending to what Graham was saying. "Do you want to win my money?" said the young man, half smiling. "No, I do not play, nor, if I did, have I any money to lose. Leave all these notions alone, I entreat of you; calm yourself; you need not trouble yourself to speak much, but just tell me what your wishes are concerning your little girl-- in any case it is always best to be prepared. Have you made any will? Is there any one to whose care you would wish to entrust her in the event of your death?"