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In the room upstairs lay Darden's Audrey, with crossed hands and head put

slightly back She lay still, upon the edge of death, nor seemed to care

that it was so Her eyes were closed, and at intervals one sitting at the

bed head laid touch upon her pulse, or held before her lips a slight

ringlet of her hair Mary Stagg sat by theand wept, but Haward,

kneeling, hid his face in the covering of the bed The for, also, stifled her sobs, for it

seerief

In the room below, amidst the tinsel frippery of small wares, waited

others whose lives had touched the life that was ebbing away Now and then

one spoke in a hushed voice, a as raised, a servant bringing in

fresh candles trod too heavily; then the quiet closed in again Late in

the night cah the open s a distant clamor, and presently a

man ran down Palace Street, and as he ran called aloud so near the door, went softly out When he returned,