“I’ll not be back to-night, dearest,” he said in a low whisper. “To-morrow, early, I’ll return.”
“You will leave no stone unturned?” said Nora.
“Not one. I’ll do my best to save him.”
“And you have told me the worst—told me all?” asked Nora, with a look of intense grief mingled with anxiety on her pale face.
“I have,” said Jim, in a tone and with a look so earnest and truthful that Nora required no further assurance. She gave him a kindly but inexpressibly sad smile, and returned to her stool beside the bed. Her lover and Mr Larks went out, followed by Queeker.
“We won’t intrude on you longer to-night,” said Katie, going up to Nora and laying her hand quietly on her shoulder.
“Your visit is no intrusion,” said Nora, looking up with a quiet smile. “It was love that brought you here, I know. May our dear Lord bless you and your father for wishing to comfort the heart of one who needs it so much—oh, so much.” She put her hands before her face and was silent. Katie tried in vain to speak. The tears coursed freely down her cheeks, but never a word could she utter. She put her arm round the neck of the poor girl and kissed her. This was a language which Nora understood;—many words could not have expressed so much; no words could have expressed more.