his orders were carried out."

Every half hour he went upstairs, and inquired, through the door, as
to the state of the boy.

Late in the afternoon he heard the girl crying bitterly within. He
knocked, and she cried out,--

"He is dead, sir; he has just expired."

"Then you must think of yourself and the others," he said. "The small
packet I placed on the chair contains sulphur. Close the window, then
place the packet on the fire, and leave the room at once and go into
the next room, which is all ready for you. There, I pray you,
undress, and sponge yourself with vinegar, then make your clothes
into a bundle and put them outside the door. There will be a bowl of
hot broth in readiness for you there; drink that, and then go to bed
at once, and keep the blankets over you and try to sleep."

He went part of the way downstairs, and, in a minute or two, heard a
door open and shut, then another door shut. Knowing that the order
had been carried out, he went downstairs.

"Madam," he said, "God has taken your boy. The doctor had but little
hope for him. For the sake of yourself and those around you, I pray
you all to bear up against the sorrow."

The mother burst into tears, and, leaving her with her husband and
daughter, Cyril went into the kitchen, where the maid and an
apprentice were sitting with pale faces, and bade the servant at once