“‘I must go and tell the sad news I bring to poor Mary,’ I said.
“Granny shook her head.
“‘She is very bad, it will go well-nigh to kill her outright,’ she observed.
“I would have got granny to go, but I wanted to tell your poor mother of my promise to your father, and, though it made my heartache, I determined to go myself.
“I found her, with you by her side.
“‘Here is father,’ you cried out, but your mother looked up, and seemed to know in a moment what had happened.
“‘Where is Michael?’ she asked.
“‘You know, Mary, your husband and I promised to look after each other’s children, if one was taken and the other left; and I mean to keep my promise to look after you and your little boy.’
“Your mother knew, by what I said, that your father was gone.
“‘God’s will be done,’ she murmured; ‘He knows what is best—I hope soon to be with him.’