heard the tones of his voice through the open hall
door and caught the note of sorrow that tinged
them.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! Poor Martha!" she heard
him say. "She is getting too old to go about alone.
Please tell Miss Jane she must not hesitate to send
for me if I can be of the slightest service." Then
she re-entered the room where Martha lay and closed
the door.

Another and louder knock now broke the stillness
of the chamber and checked the sobs of the nurse;
Captain Holt had met Jane's servant as he was passing
the gate. He stopped for an instant in the hall,
slipped off his coat, and walked straight upstairs,
humming a tune as he came. Jane heard his firm
tread, opened the door of their room, and she and
Martha crossed the hall to a smaller apartment
where Jane always attended to the business affairs of
the house. The captain's face was wreathed in a
broad smile as he extended his hand to Jane in
welcome.

"It's lucky ye caught me, Miss Jane. I was just
goin' out, and in a minute I'd been gone for the
night. Hello, Mother Martha! I thought you'd
gone to Trenton."

The two women made no reply to his cheery salutation,