"Put those articles in a travelling-bag—use one of my daughter's," ordered the old lady.
"Your niece objects, madam. She sez she'll take nothing away she didn't bring with her."
The grief-stricken woman turned away as Jarvis passed out. Alaric tried to comfort her. But the strain of the morning had been too great. Mrs. Chichester burst into tears.
"Don't weep, mater. Please don't. It can't be helped. We've all done our best. I know I have!" and Alaric put his mother carefully down on the lounge and sat beside her on the arm. He looked cheerfully at Jerry and smiled as he said:
"I even offered to marry her if she'd stay. Couldn't do more than that, could I?"
Hawkes listened intently.
Jerry returned Alaric's smile as he asked: "YOU offered to marry her?"
Alaric nodded:
"Poor little wretch. Still I'd have gone through with it."
"And what did she say?" queried Jerry.