and who, as a rule, did not disturb himself about anything, threw down his spoon, ceased to devour his porridge, and gazed at Maggie in some astonishment mingled with a tiny degree of

milk, he tossed his spoon with a great clatter on the floor, and dashing in the m

ht plucky thing of her to do. She couldn't have done more even if she had been a boy-no, not even if she had been a

hrown on the floor. See what a mess you have made on the breakfast-table. Maggie, dear, you did not mean to do wrong, still you did wrong. But

f Ralph's opinion than of any one else's, and it was an immense consolation to be compared to a boy, and to a plucky one. She accordi

that Lady Ascot's sister was much better, and that S

father for the money, instead of trying to sell your best hat. Now, dear, you can go up to the sc

gie and me to go round and see how Jo is. Susy didn't act right, and I know

time, I don't mind you two little people going to see Jo, but remember, you must

t my own hat back," excla

hy I should not care to see you wear it again. Now run away, childre

ainly nothing orderly about that home to-day. Mrs. Aylmer herself was seated on a low, broken chair, her hands thrown down at her sides, her cap on crooked, and her face bearing signs of violent weeping. The two little boys stood one at each side of their mother: B

Ralph first remarked. He rushed up to Mr

's Jo? Where's our darling

n't be safe. I'm just distraught with misery and terror. My little Jo, my little treasure, is tuk away from me; she's tuk b

s words. She eagerly questioned the poor woman, who said that Jo had not been well for days, and yesterday the doctor had pronounc

ued the mother; "she wouldn't harm no one, no

children out of this infected air! I'll come back later in the day, ma'am, and do what I can for you; and if Susy comes home, you might

rs. Aylmer, "I ain't see

ou she has been after no good. Now come away, dar

sick and suffering little girl seemed, in some inexplicable way, to be showered upon her. A doctor even was sent for, who asked Maggie a lot of questions, and was particularly anxious to kno

mbibed the poison it is too late to stop matters. We must only hope for the bes

ing not to let them go and inquire for Jo at the hospital. Under these circumstances the garden-party was a

sing her passionately. Never had she seen Sir John's face so red, and his ey

last night, for then I wouldn't have tried to sell my hat, and you'd have give

Sir John. "God knows it might ha

nderstand either h

nd heavy, when her throat ached, and her head ached, and although it was a warm summer's day, she was glad to lie with a shawl over he

to pull her through as quickly as possible, and of course, Mrs. Grenville, as Ralph is still quite well, a

er a choking voice, and she and

Grenville came back and

Auntie Violet?

ling," respo

fever,

lness,

ing to be ve

ell that we trust that will not be the case; but I am afraid

s to make me so sick from Susy-

infection on her clothes, and ther

nued Maggie, "you're ver

at I'm pleased w

ther to forgive her, 'cause she didn't know nothing about

enville was glad to comfort her with any assurances,

rable, and thought a great deal about Maggie, and found out that after all he was very fond of her. He did not take the fever himself, but he was full of anxieties ab

anded over to the tender mercies of strangers. It was very curious how, through all her ravings and through all the delirium of her fever, Maggie talked about Jo. She had only seen Jo once in her life, but although she mentioned her mother and her father, and her old nurse and Ralph, there was no one at all about whom she spoke so freque

th a weakness over her which was beyond any weakness she could ever have dreamed of u

low indeed in Lady Ascot's ear, "I

ecious one," whispered

d Ralph. She wanted to be in a cool place, where beautiful things are, in the

lips, she closed her eyes with their pretty curly lashes. The father and mother both f

hink about her, and she and hers have done mischief enough to us; but the little one's heart seems set on her-has been

g in all the world for Mag

fever hospital now, and mak

Mrs. Grenville, and told he

and I will put on my b

ntensely hot, but now a soft breeze began to stir the heated atmos

" said Mrs. Grenville, "and that will be

ime since all their trouble, the excited and rough little figure of Susy Aylmer. Her first impulse was to shake herself free

d still, and was to a certain extent red still, but the eyes were so swollen with crying, and the poor face i

nothing. Mrs. Cook won't speak, nor the housemaid, nor Mrs. Waters, nor nobody, and I feel as if my heart would

oes she, too, know some one of the name of Jo, and

trouble; but I promised Maggie I would try, and I can not go back from my word to the dear little one. Maggie is a shade, just a shade better to-night, Susy, but s

mother, and they say that our little Jo won't live through t