"She is in a very low condition and I doubt if she survives more than a few days. What about the girl--_is_ it her daughter?" "Why, yes--though they are very dissimilar; but she is a devoted daughter. The mother is caretaker, the daughter a student." "She seems to have exhausted nature. The fainting spells may be a method of rest. Let her sleep all she can. Very little can be done for her. I will leave some drops to be given if she is very restless and will look in in the morning. It is rather unfortunate this should happen to you, just now." "Oh, school has closed and there is plenty of help. I want everything done for her." Then Mrs. Barrington returned to the room. Miss Arran sat by the foot of the bed, Lilian was bathing her mother's face. "My child," Mrs. Barrington said, "you had better lie down and get a little rest. We will watch--" "No, I want Lilian," entreated the mother. "You will not leave me? When I am a little rested I want to tell you how it came--" "Yes, yes, but not now. I would rather stay here. It is my place, and now there are no other duties." So the hours wore on. Mrs. Boyd seemed to fall into a tranquil sleep. Lilian laid down on her own bed, and slept in a disturbed sort of fashion. Then morning came, and the house was astir. "Oh, Miss Arran have you watched all night? How good you are!" "I had several naps. Your mother was very quiet. She seems better. Mrs. Dane is coming in and you must get some breakfast. Then if we need a nurse--" "Oh, no, do not have one. My place is here. Oh, Miss Arran," and Lilian turned deadly pale, "you heard what she said last evening. It _can't_ be true. Would any one ever work and make sacrifices for a child not her own? She _is_ my mother." Miss Arran nodded. "Unless she is much worse I do not think we will need a nurse. There will be so little to do in the house that I shall be quite at liberty." "Yes, Mrs. Boyd was much stronger," the doctor admitted, though the case was not much more hopeful. A second stroke might end it all. "But she seems to have something on her mind. Is it anxiety about her daughter?" "I have assured her that Lilian will be my charge. She has the making of an unusually fine scholar, and she is a high minded, honorable girl, sincere and ambitious." "The daughter has taken from somewhere a much stronger physical and mental equipment. What of the father?" "Oh, he died when she was a mere infant." The embargo had been removed from Lilian and Mrs. Dane treated her with a sort of tolerant sympathy. She roamed about the deserted library and chose some books, a few girls waylaid her in the school room. Miss Nevins made an importunate appeal, quite forgetting her past disdain. "Oh, why can't you stay down here?" she cried. "It's awful dull, and there's no fun going on. Miss Graniss is going to take us down town when the stores are lighted up, but it's so long to wait until evening."