Part 12 (1/2)

Ruth smiled, and said: ”You always had a tender conscience, child, but there is no other way of doing this, I am convinced.”

Agnes yielded to Ruth's judgment, and Martha was sent with the old coat to the tailor, and told to say that Miss Ruth would call in the afternoon.

”When is it to be done?” asked Agnes, eagerly, when Ruth returned.

”On Christmas eve; and only think, Agnes, it will be four dollars less than we supposed. He will make it of the finest cloth too.”

”Christmas is coming,” said the children many, many times, during the ten days that followed. Ruth's visit to the tailor, and ”Christmas is coming,” said she and Agnes, as many times as the children. Yes, Christmas was coming, it was drawing near, bringing gladness as it always does; but something else was coming, and drawing still nearer.

The shadow of a great sorrow had fallen. Had they looked in Guy's face they would have seen it; but they were busy with their little presents for each other, and for Martha and Philip. Besides, they rather avoided Guy, for fear he should read their secret. So it grew and grew, until they could escape it no longer. Guy was ill of a fever.

All at once, without a word of complaint, he was taken down, and to all their entreaties that he would speak to them just once, there was no reply.

”O Guy, my brother, my darling, speak,” moaned Ruth, as with an agonized voice and look she bent over him. ”To think of your lying here alone, suffering through the long night, and no one near to give you even a drink of water.”

So she went on talking and bathing his burning brow, while Agnes, giving one earnest look, in which her whole soul seemed to go out, hurried to send Martha for the doctor; then she went back, and putting her arm round Ruth, drew her away.

”Don't take me from him, Agnes; I have the best right here,” she cried, fiercely, starting up from the seat into which Agnes had placed her. ”I did not help to benefit him; I set him no good example. I must save him now, even if I should die for him.”

”Sister Ruth,” and her words were slow and measured, ”our lives cannot save Guy; only one power can. Look to G.o.d, dear sister; he is our only help. And He _will_ help us,” she added with strong emphasis.

”O, will He, Agnes; are you sure?” and Ruth looked into the face of her sister, waiting for her reply, as if into the face of G.o.d.

”He will help us,” came again. Then they threw their arms round each other and cried.

”What is it?” asked Agnes, when the doctor shook his head.

”Brain fever, I fear,” was the reply.

”Will he die?” almost shrieked Ruth. ”You will save him, doctor. O, you won't let Guy die.”

”Do you know, my child, you can kill your brother, and you will if you give way to this grief. I will leave no means untried. You are a Christian; you know how to pray; there is greater comfort in that than in any of my a.s.surances; but I give them to you; your brother shall live if it is in the power of man to save him.”

Agnes murmured, ”O G.o.d, give him skill, and give us strength,” while hope revived in Ruth's heart, and she listened eagerly to the doctor's directions.

”You will have many days of nursing, it is probable, and you must take it in turn,” he said; ”but at night it will be well to have a friend.

There is a great deal of restlessness then, and one feels lonely. Be sure you give the medicine promptly, and keep up the ice applications, as I shall be back in a few hours.”

”Whom can we get?” asked Agnes, when he had gone.

”Don't let us have any one, Agnes; no stranger could take care of Guy, as well as we,” said Ruth, beseechingly.

”But, Ruth, if anything should happen, if Guy should grow worse, we would blame ourselves for not doing all the doctor told us.”

”Very well, then. You know best, Agnes. I can't think to-day.”

Without saying more, Agnes went down stairs, and told Martha to see if Miss Smithers was at home, and if so to tell her to come right away, but not to sew. ”Then leave this note with one of the school children,” she added.