“Graeme,” said she, softly; “at first I thought I couldna bear to go and leave you all. But it seems easy now. And you wouldna bring back the pain, dear?”
“No, no! my darling.”
“At first you’ll all be sorry, but God will comfort you. And my father winna have long to wait, and you’ll have Rosie and Will—and, Graeme, you will tell papa?”
“Yes, I will tell him.”
“He’ll grieve at first, and I could not bear to see him grieve. After he has time to think about it, he will be glad.”
“And Arthur, and all the rest—” murmured Graeme.
A momentary shadow passed over Marian’s face.
“Oh! Graeme, at first I thought it would break my heart to leave you all—but I am willing now. God, I trust, has made me willing. And after a while they will be happy again. But they will never forget me, will they, Graeme?”
“My darling! never!”
“Sometimes I wish I had known—I wish I had been quite sure, when they were all at home. I would like to have said something. But it doesna really matter. They will never forget me.”