s very precarious. I should like you to nurse her
altogether, Mrs. Quentyns; much depends on her seeing you by her side
when she wakes."

"I shall never leave her again," said Hilda, in a stifled tone.

The doctor's practiced ear caught the suppressed hysteria in her voice.

"Come, come," he said cheerily, "you have nothing to blame yourself for.
The little one has evidently felt your absence in a remarkable manner."

"Really, doctor, you are quite mistaken," began Aunt Marjorie. "What I
principally noticed about Judy was her great quietness and docility
since Hilda left. She scarcely spoke of her sister, and seemed content
to sit by my side and read fairy stories. She used to be such a very
excitable, troublesome sort of child. If you ask me frankly, I think
Hilda's absence did her good."

The doctor looked from the old lady to the young.

"I must adhere to my first opinion," he said. "The child has missed her
sister. Now that you have come, Mrs. Quentyns, we will hope for the
best."

He went out of the room as he spoke, and Aunt Marjorie followed him.

Hilda dropped on her knees by Judy's cot.

"Oh, my God, forgive me," she cried, in a broken anguished prayer. "I
did wrong to leave my little Judy. Oh, God, only spare her life, and I
will vow to you that _whatever_ happens she shall never leave me in the
time to come. Whatever happens," repeated Hilda, in a choking voice of
great agony. Then she rose and took her place beside the child's bed.

A couple of hours passed by. The door was softly opened, and Quentyns
stole into the room. He had been very much shocked by the doctor's
account of the child, and his face and tone expressed real sympathy as
he came up to Hilda.

"Poor little Judy!" he said, bending over her. "What a queer excitable
little mite it is."

Hilda beat her foot impatiently.

"Well, my darling," continued Quentyns, not noticing his wife's
suppressed agitation, "she will soon be all right now you have come.
Lunch is ready, Hilda, and you must be weak for want of food. Come,
dearest, let me take you down to the dining room."

"Oh, no, Jasper! I can't leave Judy; and please, please don't talk so
loud."

"The doctor does not wish her to be kept _too_ quiet, Hilda; and surely,
my dear, you are not going to starve yourself!"

"Aunt Marjorie will send me something to the dressing room; I can't be
away from Judy even for one minute. There is no saying when she will
awake, and I must be with