Page 173 - Fairbrass

prided himself on his tact ; ‘ that is quite as
it should be, and in every way satisfactory.

Then there is nothing- to be done but to
wait for the inevitable end* By the way,

as it cannot be very far off, I think you
would do well to warn his mother.'

And then the father left the room, and

the Doctor, who was apt to boast that he
could make up for enforced nighVvyfcrk by

taking a snooze at any available moment

during the day, dropped off into a comfort­
able nap in an arm-chair.

Pax croodled close up to Fairbrass, and
thrust his cold nose into the hot, thin little

hand. If ever a dog shed tears, Pax did it
at that moment.

* Don’t trouble about me, Pax dear/

said Fairbrass, stroking the smooth head
of his faithful friend. 1 I'm not sorry to

die. In this world people seem to be as

unhappy when they are rich as when they
are poor, and things are too hard for me to

understand. If I could speak, I should