ittle nose was so blue, it made one's heart ache to see it.
In less time than it takes to tell it, Dr. Alec had her on the sofa
rolled up in the bear-skin coat, with Phebe rubbing her cold feet while
he rubbed the aching hands, and Aunt Plenty made a comfortable hot
drink, and Aunt Peace sent down her own foot-warmer and embroidered
blanket "for the dear."
Full of remorseful tenderness, Uncle Alec worked over his new patient
till she declared she was all right again. He would not let her get up
to dinner, but fed her himself, and then forgot his own while he sat
watching her fall into a drowse, for Aunt Plenty's cordial made her
sleepy.
She lay so several hours for the drowse deepened into a heavy sleep, and
Uncle Alec, still at his post, saw with growing anxiety that a feverish
colour began to burn in her cheeks, that her breathing was quick and
uneven, and now and then she gave a little moan, as if in pain. Suddenly
she woke up with a start, and seeing Aunt Plenty bending over her, put
out her arms like a sick child, saying wearily,
"Please, could I go to bed?"
"The best place for you, deary. Take her right up, Alec; I've got the
hot water ready, and after a nice bath, she shall have a cup of my sage
tea, and be rolled up in blankets to sleep off her cold," answered the
old lady, cheerily, as she bustled away to give orders.
"Are you in pain, darling?" asked Uncle Alec, as he carried her up.
"My side aches when I breathe, and I feel stiff and queer; but it isn't
bad, so don't be troubled, uncle," whispered Rose, with a little hot
hand against his cheek.
But the poor doctor did look troubled, and had cause to do so, for
just then Rose tried to laugh at Dolly charging into the room with a
warming-pan, but could not, for the sharp pain took her breath away and
made her cry out.
"Pleurisy," sighed Aunt Plenty, from the depths of the bath-tub.
"Pewmonia!" groaned Dolly, burrowing among the bedclothes with the
long-handled pan, as if bent on fishing up that treacherous disease.
"Oh, is it bad?" asked Phebe, nearly dropping a pail of hot water in her
dismay, for she knew nothing of sickness, and Dolly's suggestion had a
peculiarly dreadful sound to her.
"Hush!" ordered the Doctor, in a tone that silenced all further
predictions, and made everyone work with a will.
"Make her as comfortable as you can, and when she is in her little bed
I'll come and say good-night," he added, when the bath was ready
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