“‘I am sorry to be a bore.’
“This was a hard remark to answer, but I murmured something. He went on, still in that hoarse whisper,—
“‘I must talk to you first.’
“I saw that he was perfectly lucid in his mind, and thinking that he wanted to give me some necessary instructions I encouraged him to go on, but he only shook his head, and I saw that he had fallen back into the characteristic apathy. I sat on, expecting the arrival of Marco and the doctor at any moment.
“Towards night, MacPherson roused himself again. He was so much weaker that I could barely make out the words he breathed.
“‘It is time you went to water your garden.’
“I shook my head. A distressed look came over his face, and to comfort him I said,—
“‘Marco has promised to do it for me.’
“He was content with that, and lay quiet with his long, long arms and thin hands outside the coverlet. I thought that he wanted to speak again, but had not the energy to begin, so, to help him, I suggested,—
“‘Was there anything you wanted to say to me?’