“I suppose you do not know who I am. Mrs. Brady and I are old friends, and I have come from England to be with her in this affliction. I used to live near Kingslough; my father was Mr. Moffat of Bay view.”
“I have heard tell of you both,” was the reply sullenly spoken. “You’ll have come over to help Amos Scott as well as to see Mrs. Brady, I’m thinking.”
To which speech Miss Moffat deemed it prudent to make no reply.
CHAPTER X.
A RAY OF LIGHT.
Not all Grace’s persuasions could induce Mrs. Brady on the following morning to touch any breakfast. By special request Miss Moffat had been permitted to pass the night in a dressing-room opening into Nettie’s apartment, and until overpowered by weariness she fell into a broken sleep, she heard the widow tossing from side to side, moaning now and then, at intervals breathing many sighs, but weeping never.
With her own hands Miss Moffat made her a tiny morsel of toast, and took that and a cup of tea to her bedside; but Nettie refused to eat, not querulously or with any effusion of manner, but with a settled determination difficult to hope to sway.
Nevertheless, her friend thought she would try. “Dear Nettie,” she said, “you ought to eat.”
“I cannot; it would choke me,” was the reply.
“I am afraid you will bring on an illness.”
“Oh! if I could only die,” and she buried her face in the pillow.