coffee, and some bread and meat be taken up to him, you will not
deny them to me, I suppose?"

"Certainly not, my child! but I dare not send a servant with them.
Winston's orders were positive--they all tell me--that not a soul
should attempt to hold communication with him. And what he says he
means."

"Then," replied Winston's sister, with a spark of his spirit, "I
will take the waiter up myself. I cannot sleep with this horror
hanging over me--the fear lest, through my neglect or cowardice, a
fellow-being--whose only offence against society, so far as we
knows is his dropping down in a faint or stupor under a hedge on the
Ridgeley plantation--should lose his life."

"Your feelings are only what I should expect from you, my love; but
think twice before you go up-stairs yourself! It would be considered
an outrageous impropriety, were it found out."

"Less outrageous than to let a stranger perish for want of such
attention as one would vouchsafe to a stray dog?" questioned Mabel,
with a queer smile. "Roger! pour me out a bowl of coffee at once.
Put it on a waiter with a plate of bread and butter--or stay!
oysters will be more warming and nourishing. I am very sure that
Daphne is keeping a saucepanful hot for her supper and yours.
Hurry!"

The waiter, whose wife was the cook, ducked his head with a grin
confirmatory of his young mistress' shrewd suspicion, and vanished
to obey her orders, never dreaming but she wanted the edibles for