A Girl in Ten Thousand

d asleep when Effie rus

e, shaking her frie

es. She opened her eyes now and gazed at Effie for a bewildere

oseph's and that one of the nurses had got into trouble and had come to me, b

y, father wants you. There is a bad case of illness at The Grange-very bad indeed, and

cried Dorothy. "I

ew you were just that s

sies over me; I am only just a nurse. A nurse is, and ought to be, at the beck and call of everyone who is in tr

in the street," said

ess while you stand here talking. Whatever it is,

or as quietly as she could. She then went across the sunlit and empty street to where her father stood on the step

nton, "she has fought

aid Effie. "She will be

on. "You didn't happen to me

t the nature of the case won'

he restrained himself, however, and stood looking down the

nothing to be frightened about as far as I am concerned. If mortal man can pull the child through,

, father,"

y dress, gray cloak, gray bonnet. The dress suited her earnest and reposeful f

she said, "I hear you

t her for a moment

steady-looking person like you in the place. And so

," said Dorothy

now the nature o

makes any difference;

doctor, gazing at her. "You don't take

ss," she continued, looking up at him with a flash out of her dark blue eyes. "Anywhere at

to pull a child back fr

dren," said Dorothy.

tonly neglectful, almost cruel in their negligence and ignorance. The mother, a young woman, is nearly certain to take the complaint and, to complicate everyt

ood grave

u to go?" exclaimed Effie, who w

only considering that point for a moment. After all, it is not worth troubling about. I am at your ser

eyes. He began to blow his nose violently. "Now, Effie, you will do your best

r and the nurse walked toward the dog-cart; he helped her to mount, an

n. She went back into the house, and as it was now half-past five, decided that it was not worth while to return to bed. There was always plenty to be done in this little

e not a bit afraid of her, for she was the most indulgent elder sis

ocess of dressing. She took the baby on her knee, and, removing his night-clothes, put him into his

had spent a

sweet he looks! What a splendid nurse you are, my darling, and what a wonderful comfort t

, mother?" asked Effie. "

t help thinking of poor Mrs. Watson and that heart-trouble

well upon that-you must turn your thoughts away from illness of every s

ther will wa

s just it,

he will go out as early as

have something to tell you. Now, please don't be f

oman for her age, but weakness was written all over her-the weakness of a frail although loving spirit, and the weakness of extreme bodily illness, for she was ill, far more ill than her children knew. The

d make you the least bit afraid. Father has left you in my charge. He

ean, Effie? Has you

; but the fact is this: If all is well, father is not coming home for two or three days. In one way yo

starting up. "You don't mean to tell me th

girl is very ill, and Squire Harvey came over to fetch f

nton. "I made sure that some

couple of days until he could pull the child through, and you are on no account to expect him home, but you are to keep as well and cheerful as possible for his sake; and Dr. Edwards from Boltonville is to take father's work for the time. So you see," continued E

g at her. As the eager words flowed from the young girl's

no words could come for an instant,-"you," she went

mother; that goe

Why should not you

htheria," she said to herself. "Mother is always so terrified about diphtheria ever sin

laimed her mother. "You terrify m

duly nervous. I was only thinking for a moment whether you had better know; but of course,

ink it wil

he is, mother, and how beautiful; and she has been with this dear little child day and night from the beginning, no

ht go and help her. She will have a bad time. She will have an awful risk when her baby arrives, Effie. Well, my darling, we can do nothing but pray for them all. There is One who can guide us even through d

ght smile, and tur

he room, her mother

is no diphtheria in the case;

door hastily