"Let me see—since about a fortnight after we came here."
"Does Celia visit her too?"
"Oh, no! Celia has never seen her. She says it makes her unhappy to see sick people."
"Ah, the child has a tender heart!" he exclaimed.
"Mrs. Long dearly likes me to read to her," Joy proceeded. She was talking naturally and unreservedly now. "Of course she can read herself, but her eyes are weak, and she can't lift up her hands to hold a book."
"And what do you read to her?" Sir Jasper asked; "novels, eh?"
"No," Joy replied, suddenly losing her ease again, as her thoughts reverted to "Lady Isabella's Treachery." "I generally read the Bible, she likes that best; she loves to hear about Christ's miracles, and especially how He made the lame to walk. She says after I'm gone she thinks of it all, and how she will be made well again when she meets Jesus face to face. Oh, poor thing, I feel so sorry for her! It must be terrible to be so helpless!"
"Her husband is good to her, you say?"
"Oh, yes, very good, Uncle Jasper!'
"Ah, so I should imagine. Long has ways proved himself a trustworthy servant; I knew his wife was an invalid, but he never volunteered any information concerning her."