Once during the night Captain Bruce opened his eyes and looked about him, but either his mind was confused, or--who knows ?--made clearer by the approach of death, for he evinced no sign of surprise at the earl's presence in the room.

He only fixed upon him a long, searching, inquiring gaze, which seemed to compel an answer.
Lord Cairnforth spoke: "Cousin, I am come to take home with me your wife and child.

Are you satisfied ?" "Yes." "I promise you they shall never want.

I will take care of them always." There was a faint assenting movement of the dying head, and then, just as Helen went out of the room with her baby, Captain Bruce followed her with his eyes, in which the earl thought was an expression almost approaching tenderness.

"Poor thing--poor thing! Her long trouble is over." These were the last words he ever said, for shortly afterward he again fell into a sleep, out of which he passed quietly and without pain into sleep eternal.