an who is out of her
head."

"Yes, she will know what to do," said Norton; "and you had better come
away now. You don't."

"I can do something, though," said Matilda. "I can give the medicine
and the beef tea. Why, there was nobody even to give the medicine,
Norton. I found it here with the doctor's directions; and nobody had
taken it till I came, not one of these poor people. But oh, the rooms
are so disagreeable with so many invalids in them! you can't think."

"I can, for I've been in them," said Norton. "And once is enough. They
have got the medicine now, Pink; you needn't stay any longer."

"Oh yes, but I must. I must till Miss Redwood comes. The medicine will
have to be taken again in a little while."

"It can wait till she gets here. You come away, Pink. Miss Redwood said
you should."

"She didn't know what there was for me to do, or she wouldn't have said
it. I can't go, Norton."

"But you _must_, Pink. She said so. Suppose these people should be ill
with something dreadful? you can't tell."

"I am sure they would want a nurse then."

"But _you_ might get ill, you know."

"Well, Norton, I'm not afraid."

"You might get sick, all the same, if you're _not_ afraid," said
Norton, impatiently. "Come, Pink, you must come."

"I can't, Norton. I must go in and give them some more beef tea now, in
a minute. They can't take but ever so little at a time. It would be
very wrong to leave them as they are."

"You might get ill, and die," said Norton.

"Well, Norton," said Matilda, slowly, "I don't think I am afraid of
that. I belong to Jesus. He will take care of me."

"I don't think you know what you are talking of!" said Norton, very
impatient, and very much at a loss how to manage Matilda.

"Oh yes, I do!" she said, smiling. "Now I must go in. _You_ needn't
come, for there wouldn't be anything for you to do."

Matilda disappeared; and Norton, wishing very much that he could lay
hold of her and carry her away by force, did not, however, feel that it
would exactly do. He sat down on the door stone of the house, he would
not go further, and waited. There was a delicious calm sunlight over
all the world that October afternoon; it puzzled Norton how there could
be a sick-house anywhere under such a sky. He heard the ponies stamping
their idle hoofs against the barn floor; they were spoiling for
exercise; why were he and Matilda not out driving, instead of having
this state of things? Then some gaily dispos