"It's all my fault," he said through the tears that rolled down his cheeks, "for being such a fool as to——"
"As to——" she repeated slowly.
"As to do anything at all," he finished. "Everything, everything I've done," he continued sadly, "has been the act of a fool. And now I'm going to die a fool's death. I wouldn't care if it wasn't for you, child. But you—how are you going to get along? How are you going to get along without money?" he concluded, breaking down completely.
"I have enough," she answered consolingly; "don't mind me."
But in truth Elinor Ilingsworth had only enough money to pay for a sleeping place, and was at her wits' end to obtain sufficient food.
"I'm all right, all right, father," she kept on insisting to her father's upbraiding of himself, now smiling through the tears which with difficulty she kept back, now patting his hand affectionately, always cheering him up.
"You're a brave girl," he told her, when their interview was over, and pressed her hand for a long time to his lips.
As Elinor was about to leave the Tombs, a young woman looking very much embarrassed slowly emerged from a recess in which there was a crowd of waiting visitors, and came towards her, saying:
"You are Miss Ilingsworth?"
Elinor shot a quick, distrustful glance toward the intruder, who, somehow, seemed very queenly to her, although there was nothing expensive about the woman's garments. She was dressed in simple black clothes. Elinor had hear of Tombs' angels, and presently decided that the woman must be one of them.