But Mr. Gibson had found a note awaiting him, with an immediate summons to an old patient, dangerously ill; and, snatching a mouthful of food while his horse was being saddled, he had to resume at once his old habits of attention to his profession above everything.

As soon as Mrs. Gibson found that he was not likely to miss her presence—­he had eaten a very tolerable lunch of bread and cold meat in solitude, so her fears about his appetite in her absence were not well founded—­she desired to have her meal upstairs in her own room; and poor Molly, not daring to tell the servants of this whim, had to carry up first a table, which, however small, was too heavy for her; and afterwards all the choice portions of the meal, which she had taken great pains to arrange on the table, as she had seen such things done at Hamley, intermixed with fruit and flowers that had that morning been sent in from various great houses where Mr. Gibson was respected and valued.  How pretty Molly had thought her handiwork an hour or two before!  How dreary it seemed as, at last released from Mrs. Gibson’s conversation, she sate down in solitude to cold tea and the drumsticks of the chicken!  No one to look at her preparations, and admire her left-handedness and taste!  She had thought that her father would be gratified by it, and then he had never seen it.  She had meant her cares as an offering of good-will to her stepmother, who even now was ringing her bell to have the tray taken away, and Miss Gibson summoned to her bedroom,

Molly hastily finished her meal, and went upstairs again.

’I feel so lonely, darling, in this strange house; do come and be with me, and help me to unpack.  I think your dear papa might have put off his visit to Mr. Craven Smith for just this one evening.’

‘Mr. Craven Smith couldn’t put off his dying,’ said Molly, bluntly.

‘You droll girl!’ said Mrs. Gibson, with a faint laugh.  ’But if this Mr. Smith is dying, as you say, what’s the use of your father’s going off to him in such a hurry?  Does he expect any legacy, or anything of that kind?’

Molly bit her lips to prevent herself from saying something disagreeable.  She only answered,—­

’I don’t quite know that he is dying.  The man said so; and papa can sometimes do something to make the last struggle easier.  At any rate, it’s always a comfort to the family to have him.’

’What dreary knowledge of death you have learned for a girl of your age!  Really, if I had heard all these details of your father’s profession, I doubt if I could have brought myself to have him!’

’He doesn’t make the illness or the death; he does his best against them.  I call it a very fine thing to think of what he does or tries to do.  And you will think so, too, when you see how he is watched for, and how people welcome him!’

’Well, don’t let us talk any more of such gloomy things to-night!  I think I shall go to bed at once, I am so tired, if you will only sit by me till I get sleepy, darling.  If you will talk to me, the sound of your voice will soon send me off.’