Mrs. Fairland. She would have followed poor Tiney and her father
immediately, but did not wish to appear to pry into that of which
nothing had been mentioned to her, and of which they might not like to
speak out of their own family.

"Oh, do go, Miss Elwyn, if you have the _nerve,"_ said Mrs. Fairland.

The reader knows enough of Agnes to feel assured that her _nerves_ were
never in the way, if opportunity offered to make herself useful to the
suffering; and the moment Mrs. Fairland answered her, she left the room,
and, guided by those still piercing shrieks, she passed through a long
hall, and entered a small bath-room, where she found Mr. Fairland
holding the struggling Tiney, who presented a shocking appearance. Her
face was now quite purple, and the white froth stood about her mouth;
and her father was holding both of her hands in one of his, to quiet her
frantic struggles.

"Oh, bless you, Miss Agnes!" said Mr. Fairland, as soon as she opened
the door; "set that water running immediately till it is quite hot, and
take off this poor child's stockings and shoes. You see I can do
nothing."

As quickly and as quietly as possible Agnes did as she was directed; and
then also, by Mr. Fairland's direction, took down a bottle of medicine,
always kept ready for this purpose in the bath-room, and dropped some of
it for him. In a few moments, the shrieks subsided to moans, as Tiney
lay with her head back on her father's shoulder.

"Poor child!" said Mr. Fairland, wiping her lips and forehead, "she is a
dreadful sufferer."

"Has she been so long?" asked Agnes.

"Ever since her third year," answered Mr. Fairland, "though, at first,
the attacks were comparatively slight; but of late years they have grown
more and more severe. Her intellect, as you perhaps have already
noticed, is much weakened by them, and her temper, naturally very sweet,
is at times almost fiendish. It seems to be her great desire, while
suffering so intensely, to injure all within her reach."

Agnes now understood the reason of the screams of the children, and also
of the pinch she had received as Tiney passed her chair. When poor
Tiney's moans had become more faint, Mr. Fairland said:

"Agnes, will you sing? Music seems to soothe her more than anything
else, after the extreme suffering is over."

Agnes sang, with her marvellously sweet voice, a simple air: presently
poor Tiney turned her head, and fixed her half-closed eyes on Agnes'
face. Then s