"They are very kind, and so are you, Walter, and I shall be proud to
have you rich and great, though I may not be here to see it."

"You will, Jamie, you must; for it will be nothing without you;" and
as he spoke, the young man held the thin hand closer in his own and
looked more tenderly into the face upon his arm.

The boy's eyes shone with a feverish light, a scarlet flush burned
on his hollow cheek, and the breath came slowly from his parted
lips, but over his whole countenance there lay a beautiful serenity
which filled his friend with hope and fear.

"Walter bid Bess put away that tiresome work; she has sat at it all
day long, never stirring but to wait on me;" and as he spoke, a
troubled look flitted across the boy's calm face.

"I shall soon be done, Jamie, and I must not think of rest till
then, for there is neither food nor fuel for the morrow. Sleep,
yourself, dear, and dream of pleasant things; I am not very tired."

And Bess bent closer to her work, trying to sing a little song, that
they might not guess how near the tears were to her aching eyes.

From beneath his pillow Jamie drew a bit of bread, whispering to his
friend as he displayed it,--

"Give it to Bess; I saved it for her till you came, for she will not
take it from me, and she has eaten nothing all this day."