“Would there be nothing for them out of the business?” asked Miss Mackenzie.

The junior partner at first shook his head, saying nothing. After a few minutes he did speak in a low voice. “If there be anything, it will be very little,—very little.”

Miss Mackenzie was rejoiced that she had given no definite promise to Mr Maguire. There seemed to be now a job for her to do in the world which would render it quite unnecessary that she should look about for a husband. If her brother’s widow were left penniless, with seven children, there would be no longer much question as to what she would do with her money. Perhaps the only person in the world that she cordially disliked was her sister-in-law. She certainly knew no other woman whose society would be so unpalatable to her. But if things were so as Mr Rubb now described them, there could be no doubt about her duty. It was very well indeed that her answer to Mr Maguire had been postponed to that Monday.

She found her sister-in-law in the dining-room, and Mrs Mackenzie, of course, received her with a shower of tears. “I did think you would have come, Margaret, by the first train.”

Then Margaret was forced to explain all about the letter and the Sunday arrangements at Littlebath; and Mrs Tom was stupid and wouldn’t understand, but persisted in her grievance, declaring that Tom was killing himself with disappointment.

“And there’s Dr Slumpy just this moment gone without a word to comfort one,—not even to say about when it will be. I suppose you’ll want your dinner before you go up to see him. As for us we’ve had no dinners, or anything regular; but, of course, you must be waited on.” Miss Mackenzie simply took off her bonnet and shawl, and declared herself ready to go upstairs as soon as her brother would be ready to see her.

“It’s fret about money has done it all, Margaret,” said the wife. “Since the day that Walter’s shocking will was read, he’s never been himself for an hour. Of course he wouldn’t show it to you; but he never has.”

Margaret turned short round upon her sister-in-law on the stairs.

“Sarah,” said she, and then she stopped herself. “Never mind; it is natural, no doubt, you should feel it; but there are times and places when one’s feelings should be kept under control.”

“That’s mighty fine,” said Mrs Mackenzie; “but, however, if you’ll wait here, I’ll go up to him.”

In a few minutes more Miss Mackenzie was standing by her brother’s bedside, holding his hand in hers.

“I knew you would come, Margaret,” he said.

“Of course I should come; who doubted it? But never mind that, for here I am.”

“I only told her that we expected her by the earlier train,” said Mrs Tom.

“Never mind the train as long as she’s here,” said Tom. “You’ve heard how it is with me, Margaret?”