"I say the same as my sister, sir. If Neil Elthorne prefers to marry your nurse, let him; everything between us is at an end." Ralph Elthorne's jaw dropped, and he looked helplessly, vacantly, from one to the other. Then, raising his hands wildly, he seemed to be fighting for his breath, his convulsed features horrifying the two girls, who were strong-minded in their way, and accustomed enough to scenes of human suffering to look on unmoved, as a rule. But the aspect of their guardian startled them; the callousness produced by their rough, outdoor education dropped away, and they were gentle women once again in the presence of the old man's agony. "I'll ring for help," panted Dana, and in her confusion she ran to the wrong end of the room to find the bell pull, while Saxa threw herself on her knees by the couch, and caught one of the fluttering hands. "Oh, daddy! dear old daddy!" she cried, "what have we done?" Then excitedly, "Dan, we were selfish fools to speak. Dear, dear old guardy--we've killed you!" CHAPTER TWENTY ONE. A FORCED CONFESSION. "No, no!" panted Elthorne, in a low, husky voice. "Stop! Don't ring! Better--soon." He held up one hand firmly now, and Dana turned uneasily toward the other side of the couch. "Let her call for help, dear," whispered Saxa. "No," said the stricken man feebly, as he battled hard to recover his equanimity; and the sisters trembled, repentant, over their work. "Water, please." Dana flew to the side table, and the hand trembled so that the carafe clattered against the glass she filled, and the water splashed over the side and on her rich dress as she bore it to the couch. "Take it, Saxa," she whispered, and the kneeling girl held the glass to the invalid's lips. "Hah!" he sighed, after drinking a little, and signing to his ward to take back the vessel. "I can speak now." "No, no, dear; not now. We ought not to have spoken to you," said Saxa, pressing her lips to his brow. "It was very thoughtless, but we were so angry and could not keep it back." He nodded, looked at her proudly, and drew her hand to his lips. "Good girl!" he said. "I'm not angry; only weak. Hush! Wait a little." "Yes," said Dana quickly. "We'll go now, and write in a few days." "No. Wait," said the old man in a low voice, but one full of decision. "I must clear all this up. You cannot go." They waited for some minutes before he spoke again, thinking the while of the terrible helplessness of the man who had for so many years ruled like a king in their district, and who, even now, was fighting hard to sway his social sceptre still. "Hah!" he ejaculated at last. "Absurd to be so weak. Better now. It was sudden." "Daddy, dear," said Saxa tenderly, "don't revive it. Let it all wait." "No; not a minute," he said with decision. "I'm strong again now." He stretched out a hand to each, and smiled at them in turn.