A few days more will end me, I'm positive; so bear with me a little longer, my friend." He took her withered hand in his and kissed it gently.
"You're not so very bad, Jane," said he, "and I'm almost sure you will be with us for a long time to come.

But you're more nervous and irritable than usual, I'll admit, and I fear this invasion of your nieces won't be good for you.

Are they really coming ?" "Two of them are, I'm sure, for they've accepted my invitation," she replied.
"Here's a letter that just arrived," he said, taking it from his pocket.

"Perhaps it contains news from the third niece." "My glasses, Phibbs!" cried Miss Jane, eagerly, and the attendant started briskly for the house to get them.
"What do you know about these girls ?" asked the old lawyer curiously.
"Nothing whatever.

I scarcely knew of their existence until you hunted them out for me and found they were alive.