“Hush, love, I know. You are your mother’s own patient child. I trust you quite, Graeme, and that is why I have courage to give you pain. For I must say more to-night. If anything should happen to me—hush, love. My saying it does not hasten it. But when I am gone, you will care for the others. I do not fear for you. You will always have kind friends in Janet and her husband, and will never want a home while they can give you one, I am sure. But Graeme, I would like you all to keep together. Be one family, as long as possible. So if Arthur wishes you to go to him, go all together. He may have to work hard for a time, but you will take a blessing with you. And it will be best for all, that you should keep together.”
The shock which her father’s words gave, calmed Graeme in a moment.
“But, papa, you are not ill, not more than you have been?”
“No, love, I am better, much better. Still, I wished to say this to you, because it is always well to be prepared. That is all I had to say, love.”
But he clasped her to him for a moment still, and before he let her go, he whispered, softly,—
“I trust you quite, love, and you’ll bring them all home safe to your mother and me.”
It was not very long after this, a few tranquil days and nights only, and the end came. They were all together in Marian’s room, sitting quietly after worship was over. It was the usual time for separating for the night, but they still lingered. Not that any of them thought it would be to-night. Mrs Snow might have thought so, for never during the long evening, had she stirred from the side of the bed, but watched with earnest eyes, the ever changing face of the dying girl. She had been slumbering quietly for a little while, but suddenly, as Mrs Snow bent over her more closely, she opened her eyes, and seeing something in her face, she said, with an echo of surprise in her voice,—
“Janet, is it to be to-night? Are they all here? Papa, Graeme. Where is Graeme?”
They were with her in a moment, and Graeme’s cheek was laid on her sister’s wasted hand.
“Well, my lammie!” said her father, softly.