CHAPTER XXVI
THE HOME-COMING
True to her word Bessie paid her visit to Mrs. Coates the next day. She had not been long in the house before the hollow cough was heard.
"Good gracious!" exclaimed Bessie; though really listening for it, the sound had quite startled her. "What a dreadful cough!"
"That it is. It's our lodger, poor fellow! I'm afraid he's not long for this world."
"What is his name?"
"Richard Wood."
"H'm." If Mrs. Coates had been at all a sharp sort of woman she might have detected something peculiar in that expression.
"I'm afraid he's very poor," continued Mrs. Coates. "He's paid me all right, but I don't think he's much left. I took him up some hot supper last night, and my! didn't he eat it up ravenously!"
"Has he any friends?"