“You will be brave, I know, dear heart,” she whispered. “God bless and help you.”
A few hours later the whole family were gathered in a sorrowful group around Philip’s bed. The end was very near, the doctor said, and the boy had asked to see them, calling for each one by name. He looked about upon the familiar faces, his own shining with love and peace, and there was no trace of fear or even of regret in his calm, clear eyes. Strangely enough, it was Marion’s name which he spoke first, and he tried to hold out his hand, stiff and heavy with bandages, as she knelt sobbing beside his pillow. “Why do you cry?” he asked wonderingly. “Not for me, surely, dear cousin; there is no pain now, you know.”
“Oh, Philip, Philip,” cried the girl, “forgive me! Only say that you forgive me.”
“There is nothing to forgive, dear Marion,” replied the boy; “I love you very much; you will not forget that I said so, will you, dear?” And Miss Acton gently led the weeping girl from the room.
Philip followed her with troubled eyes, and then he turned to the others; he had a word for each, but his chief thought was for Lord Ashden, who sat beside the bed, outwardly quite calm, for he feared to disturb Philip by any show of emotion; he even tried to smile when the boy looked at him, and bent low over the pillow to hear the whispered words. The others moved away while the two talked together, and no one else heard what the boy said to his friend. Once or twice the latter gave a great, deep sob, and Aunt Delia coming to his side for an instant heard Philip whisper:
“I shall see her, you know, Lord Ashden. Do you suppose she will know me?”
“The doctor says you must not talk any more for the present, dear boy,” whispered Mrs. Seldon softly, and Philip looked up with a radiant smile and a little weary, but quite contented, sigh.
“I am a little tired,” he murmured. “I will sleep awhile,” and he closed his eyes, but presently he opened them again and looked around the room. “Are they all here?” he asked faintly. “I cannot quite see.”
“We are all here,” replied Lord Ashden steadily; and Philip looked up languidly and smiled.
He lay very still after this, only opening his eyes once when Dash moved a little closer to his side. The nurse would have taken the dog away, but Philip shook his head, and after that there was perfect stillness in the room. The end came very quietly—so quietly that they thought he was only asleep, until the nurse nodded gravely to Aunt Delia and she arose and put her arms around Lord Ashden, whispering: