cret. So it grew and grew, until
they could escape it no longer. Guy was ill of a fever.

All at once, without a word of complaint, he was taken down, and to all
their entreaties that he would speak to them just once, there was no
reply.

"O Guy, my brother, my darling, speak," moaned Ruth, as with an agonized
voice and look she bent over him. "To think of your lying here alone,
suffering through the long night, and no one near to give you even a
drink of water."

So she went on talking and bathing his burning brow, while Agnes, giving
one earnest look, in which her whole soul seemed to go out, hurried to
send Martha for the doctor; then she went back, and putting her arm
round Ruth, drew her away.

"Don't take me from him, Agnes; I have the best right here," she cried,
fiercely, starting up from the seat into which Agnes had placed her. "I
did not help to benefit him; I set him no good example. I must save him
now, even if I should die for him."

"Sister Ruth," and her words were slow and measured, "our lives cannot
save Guy; only one power can. Look to God, dear sister; he is our only
help. And He _will_ help us," she added with strong emphasis.

"O, will He, Agnes; are you sure?" and Ruth looked into the face of her
sister, waiting for her reply, as if into the face of God.

"He will help us," came again. Then they threw their arms round each
other and cried.

"What is it?" asked Agnes, when the doctor shook his head.

"Brain fever, I fear," was the reply.

"Will he die?" almost shrieked Ruth. "You will save him, doctor. O, you
won't let Guy die."

"Do you know, my child, you can kill your brother, and you will if you
give way to this grief. I will leave no means untried. You are a
Christian; you know how to pray; there is greater comfort in that than
in any of my assurances; but I give them to you; your brother shall live
if it is in the power of man to save him."

Agnes murmured, "O God, give him skill, and give us strength," while
hope revived in Ruth's heart, and she listened eagerly to the doctor's
directions.

"You will have many days of nursing, it is probable, and you must take
it in turn," he said; "but at night it will be well to have a friend.
There is a great deal of restlessness then, and one feels lonely. Be
sure you give the medicine promptly, and keep up the ice applications,
as I shall be back in a few hours."

"Whom can we get?" asked Agnes, when he had gone.

"Don't let us have