Part 32 (1/2)

There was a hunch of bread and a piece of cold bacon in the great cupboard, which in Connie's time was generally stored with provisions.

She said to herself:

”I must ax father for money to buy wittles w'en he comes in.” And then she made a meal off some of the bacon and bread, and drank the sugarless and milkless tea as though it were nectar. She felt very tired from all she had undergone; and as the time sped by, and Big Ben proclaimed the hours of seven, eight, and nine, she resolved to wait no longer for her father. She hoped indeed, he would not be tipsy to-night but she resolved if such were the case, and he again refused to receive her, to go to Mrs. Anderson and beg for a night's lodging.

First of all, however, she would visit Giles and Sue. Giles would have told Sue the most exciting part of the story, and Sue would be calm and practical and matter-of-fact; but of course, at the same time, very, very glad to see her. Connie thought how lovely it would be to get one of Sue's hearty smacks on her cheek, and to hear Sue's confident voice saying:

”You _were_ a silly. Well, now ye're safe 'ome, you'll see as yer stays there.”

Connie thought no words would be quite so cheerful and stimulating to hear as those matter-of-fact words of Sue's. She soon reached the attic. She opened the door softly, and yet with a flutter at her heart.

”Sue,” she said. But there was no Sue in the room; only Giles, whose face was very, very white, and whose gentle eyes were full of distress.

”Come right over 'ere, Connie,” he said. She went and knelt by him.

”Ye're not well,” she said. ”Wot ails yer?”

”Sue ain't come 'ome,” he answered--”neither Sue nor any tidin's of her.

No, I ain't frightened, but I'm--I'm lonesome, like.”

”In course ye're not frightened,” said Connie, who, in the new _role_ of comforter for Giles, forgot herself.

”I'll set with yer,” she said, ”till Sue comes 'ome. W'y, Giles, anythink might ha' kep' her.”

”No,” said Giles, ”not anythink, for she were comin' 'ome earlier than usual to-night, an' we was to plan out 'ow best to get me a new night-s.h.i.+rt, an' Sue herself were goin' to 'ave a evenin' patchin' her old brown frock. She were comin' 'ome--she 'ad made me a promise; nothin' in all the world would make her break it--that is, _ef_ she could 'elp herself.”

”Well, I s'pose she couldn't 'elp herself,” said Connie. ”It's jest this way. They keep her in over hours--they often do that at Cheadle's.”

”They 'aven't kep' 'er in to-night,” said Giles.

”Then wot 'ave come to her?” ”I dunno; only Big Ben----”

”Giles dear, wot _do_ yer mean?”

”I know,” said Giles, with a catch in his voice, ”as that blessed Woice comforts me; but there! I must take the rough with the smooth. 'E said w'en last 'e spoke, 'In all their affliction 'E were afflicted.' There now! why did those words sound through the room unless there _is_ trouble about Sue?”

Connie argued and talked, and tried to cheer the poor little fellow. She saw, however, that he was painfully weak, and when ten o'clock struck from the great clock, and the boy--his nerves now all on edge--caught Connie's hand, and buried his face against it, murmuring, ”The Woice has said them words agin,” she thought it quite time to fetch a doctor.

”You mustn't go on like this, Giles,” she said, ”or yer'll be real ill.

I'm goin' away, and I'll be back in a minute or two.”

She ran downstairs, found a certain Mrs. Nelson who knew both Sue and Giles very well, described the state of the child, and begged of Mrs.

Nelson to get the doctor in.

”Wull, now,” said that good woman, ”ef that ain't wonnerful! Why, Dr.

Deane is in the 'ouse this very blessed minute attending on Hannah Blake, wot broke her leg. I'll send him straight up to Giles, Connie, ef yer'll wait there till he comes. Lor, now!” continued Mrs. Nelson, ”w'y hever should Sue be so late--and this night, of all nights?”

Connie, very glad to feel that the doctor was within reach, returned to the boy, who now lay with closed eyes, breathing fast. Dr. Deane was a remarkably kind young man. He knew the sorrows of the poor, and they all loved him, and when he saw Giles he bent down over the little fellow and made a careful examination. He then cheered up the boy as best he could, and told him that he would send him a strengthening medicine, also a bottle of port-wine, of which he was to drink some at intervals, and other articles of food.

”Wen 'ull Sue come back?” asked Giles of the doctor.