"How kind you are, uncle! Never thinking of yourself!"
"Nonsense, my dear, nonsense! It is entirely of myself that I am thinking, for I would not lose you and your dear ones for all the money the world contains. That is putting a small value upon money, though. I wish we had a little."
In his mind was the thought, "We need it all the more now," but he did not give the thought utterance.
"Is he low-spirited, despondent, Nansie?"
"No, uncle, quite the contrary. He is as light-hearted and gay as ever, and speaks in the same sweet, hopeful strains of the future, his anticipations of which led him into the error of--"
She stopped short; she did not complete the sentence. Her uncle completed it for her.
"Of marrying you, my dear. Do not regret it; accept it as a blessing, as it really is. Short-sighted mortals as we are to so constantly forget that life is short, and that its sweetest happiness is to be found in self-sacrifice--even, Nansie, in suffering!"
They entered the room together, and found Kingsley awake. He rose when his eyes lighted upon Mr. Loveday, and, with a bright smile, said:
"Nansie's uncle?"
"Yes, Kingsley," said Mr. Loveday.