into tears and clung together.

An hour later Cherry, feeling as if she was not the same woman who
waked in Red Creek this same morning, and got Martin's eggs and
coffee ready, crept into her father's room. Alix had warned her to
be quiet, but at the sight of the majestic old gray head, and the
fine old hands clasped together on the sheet, her self-control
forsook her entirely and she fell to her knees and began to cry
again.

The nurse looked at her disapprovingly, but after all it made
little difference. Doctor Strickland roused only once again, and
that was many hours later. Cherry and Alix were still keeping
their vigil; Cherry, worn out, had been dozing; the nurse was
resting on a couch in the next room.

Suddenly both daughters were wide awake at the sound of the hoarse
yet familiar voice. Alix fell on her knees and caught the cold and
wandering hand.

"What is it, darling?" The old, half-joking maternal manner was
all in earnest now.

"Peter?" he said, thickly.

"Peter's in China, dear. You remember that Peter was to go around
the world? You remember that, Dad?"

"In the 'Travels with a Donkey,'" he said, rationally.