hapter, Dr. Staunton suddenly walked into the little p

work over which she had been busy fell to th

ee you again! Oh, how glad we are! Is little Freda really bette

and simply with doing nothing. Ever since that blessed angel of a woman, Dorothy Fraser, came to The Grange, there has been little or nothing for me to

nute. Oh, it is delightful to have you back!" She ran

over and sat on th

his arms round her, "I am safe back agai

d Mrs. Staunton. "I have

doctor put his own strong, sinewy hand

arting back and looking anxiously a

d and richly furnished, but the air does not suit me. I suspect there is something wrong with the drains. The drains are probably at the root o

hts for a moment, you and the children-that dear little Effie in particular, but the other children too. I had time to pause and consider during those days of waiting at The Gra

darling you can possibly imagine. She manages the whole house; our servants would do anything for her, and the children love her so much that it is a pleasure to them to obey her. She has that wonderful and invaluable knack in a woman, she never teases or worries;

it. Well, she is getting on splendidly-she seemed to know from the first that her poor little baby would not live, but as Freda is doing so well, not a mur

e; is she continui

e sickroom, and then have gone into it two hours later, why, it was like stepping from the infernal regions into paradise. The order of the sickroom seemed to affect the whole house. The servants ceased to be in a state of panic, the meals were properly cooked, the Squire came back to his normal condition, and M

reda often?" ask

ne, or I should not have submitted to it, for it would not have been safe for me to have attended to Mrs. Harve

k so dreadfully worn ou

ther. Heigh-ho! here you come, my good a

k back in his

uring out a cup, brought it to her father. She had

o little. I wonder the Squire has a scrap of digestion left-heavy meat breakfasts, heavy meat luncheons, and then a groaning dinner at the end of the day. Such meals, and practically nothing to do for them!-for wha

e. "The little Beels have got whooping-cough, but I do not think anyone else is

" he said; "not that there is the least scrap of infection, for I changed everything before I came home, but in her state it woul

as putting back his empty cup on the tray, and preparing

ith your father?" she

back. "He is just tired,"

Effie, and come her

e ob

ow, mother darling, you are

,-"I am not nervous. Nothing shall make me show nervousness or weakness of

o you know, mother?"

ople have escaped, but he has taken thi

l of anxiety-has he not all his life been exposed to infection of all kinds? Why should he be ill no

o, Effie. Lives we think of no account are spared-spared on ind

do not unde

y, I do not fear it-I rise up with strength to meet it. You will s

ruggle against the weakness and the anxiety which must be yours, more or less, always. But now, mother, dear, you will not look trouble in the

ell, my

he south border," continued Effie. "Come, let us talk of

fectly cheerful,"

ttle cottage, and began with nervous, energetic fingers t

" she said. "I should like to have everything as brig

s capital,"

hing particularly good

ry. You remember how he complained o

, and that is cold raspberry tart and cream. There are plenty of raspberries ripe i

r you to fag yourself picking those r

was just fifteen-it was my fifteenth birthday. Mother showed me how to do it; and I remember how the water ran all over the pastry-board. Afterward I was the best hand at pastry in the house

ut it in the larder. You must not go i

'll remember. Now ru

ll height. There was a look of nervous energy about her which Effie had not observed for many a long day. The curious phase into which her mother had entered had an alarming effect upon the young girl. It fr

treet, and entering the prett

ome back again?" asked the woman of the shop, as

"There's good news now at The Grange. Mrs. Harvey is d

woman; "we want him bad enough here, and it seemed cruel-lik

aid Effie, "because he has secured th

r my part, I don't hold with lady-nurses. I am told they are all stuck-up and full of airs, and that they need a sight more waiting on than th

"it is not true in the case of Nurse Fraser. You must get my father to talk to you abo

and watched her, as her long thin fingers dabbled in the flour, manipulated the roller, spread out the butter, an

have ever made," said Mrs. Staunto