“How?” the young man asked, bitterly.  “The last jewel went so that we could have Dr. Renfrew.  There’s nothing here to sell—­nobody would buy our ancestors,” and he looked up mournfully at the painted figures on the wall.  The very thought seemed an indignity to those stately personalities—­the English judge in his wig, the colonial general in his buff-faced uniform, harbored for a century proudly among their own, now speculated upon as possible revenue.  The girl put up a hand toward them as if deprecating her brother’s words, and his voice went on:  “You know the doctor practically told me this morning.  I have had no hope all day, and all day I have lived in hell.  I don’t know how I did my work.  To-night, coming home, I walked past Litterny’s.  The windows were lighted and filled with a gorgeous lot of stones—­there were a dozen big diamond brooches.  I stopped and looked at them, and thought how she used to wear such things, and how now her life was going for the value of one of them, and—­you may be horrified, Katherine, but this is true:  If I could have broken into that window and snatched some of that stuff, I’d have done it.  Honesty and all I’ve been brought up to would have meant nothing—­nothing.  I’d do it now, in a second, if I could, to get the money to save my mother.  God!  The town is swimming in money, and I can’t get a little to keep her alive!”

The young man’s eyes were wild with a passion of helplessness, but his sister gazed at him calmly, as if considering a question.  From a room beyond came a painful cough, and the girl was on her feet.

“She is awake; I must go to her.  But I shall think—­don’t be hopeless, boy—­I shall think of a way.”  And she was gone.

Worn out with emotion, Randolph Newbold was sleeping a deep sleep that night.  With a start he awoke, staring at a white figure with long, fair braids.

“Randolph, it’s I—­Katherine.  Don’t be startled.”

“What’s the matter?  Is she worse?” He lifted himself anxiously, blinking sleep from his eyes.

“No—­oh no!  She’s sleeping well.  It’s just that I have to talk to you, Randolph.  Now.  I can’t wait till morning—­you’ll understand when I tell you.  I haven’t been asleep at all; I’ve been thinking.  I know now how we can get the money.”

“Katherine, are you raving?” the brother demanded; but the girl was not to be turned aside.

“Listen to me,” she said, and in her tone was the authority of the stronger personality, and the young man listened.  She sat on the edge of his bed and held his hand as she talked, and through their lives neither might ever forget that midnight council.

* * * * *