He gazed around like a man awakened from a long sleep, saw the room so tidy, the two children clean, playing and laughing.

And then he sank on to a chair stammering, "Our little mother, our little mother." Those were the only words he could find to say, and yet they were very tender ones to Lalie, who had never been much spoiled.

She consoled her father.

What especially worried her was to go off like this without having completely brought up the little ones.

He would take care of them, would he not?
With her dying breath she told him how they ought to be cared for and kept clean.