 let her in, looking more hunted and scared than usual.
Miss Lucy was better, she said, but she had been 'terr'ble bad.'
No, she didn't know what it was took her. They'd got a nurse for
her two nights, and she, Mary Ann, had been run off her legs.

'Why didn't you send for me?' cried Dora, and hurried up to the
attic. Purcell did not appear.

Lucy was waiting for her, looking out eagerly from a bank of
pillows.

Dora could not restrain an exclamation which was almost a cry. She
could not have believed that anyone could have changed so in ten
days. Evidently the acute stage--whatever had been the illness--was
past. There was already a look of convalescence in the white face,
with its black-rimmed eyes and peeling lips. But the loss of flesh
was extraordinary for so short a time. The small face was so
thinned and blanched that the tangled masses of golden-brown hair
in which it was framed seemed ridiculously out of proportion to it;
the hand playing with some grapes on the counterpane was of a
ghostly lightness.

Dora was shocked almost beyond speaking. She stood holding Lucy's
hand, and Lucy looked up at her, evidently enjoying her
consternation, for a smile danced in her hollow eyes.

'Lucy, _why_ didn't you send for me?'

'Because I was so feverish at first. I was all light-headed, and
didn't know where I was; and then I was so weak I didn't care about
anything,' said Lucy, in a small thread of a voice.

'What was it?'

'Congestion of the lungs,' said the girl, with pride. 'They just
stopped it, or you'd be laying me out now, Dora. Dr. Alford told
father I was dreadful run-down or I'd never have taken it. I'm to
go to Hastings. Father's got a cousin there that lets lodgings.'

'But how did you get so ill, Lucy?'

Lucy was silent a bit. Then she said:

'Sit down close here. My voice is so bad still.'

Dora sat close to her
let her in, looking more hunted and scared than usual. 
 Miss Lucy was good, she say, but she had been' terr'ble bad.' 
 No, she didn't know what it was took her. They'd become a nurse for 
 her two nights, and she, Mary Ann, had been hunt off her peg. 

' Why didn't you mail for me?' cried Dora, and hurried up to the 
 loft. Purcell did not appear. 

 Lucy was waiting for her, looking out eagerly from a bank of 
 pillow. 

 Dora could not restrain an exclamation which was about a cry. She 
 could not have think that anyone could have changed so in ten 
 days. Evidently the acuate stage -- whatever had been the illness -- was 
 past. There was already a expression of convalescence in the white expression, 
 with its black - rimmed eyes and peeling lips. But the personnel casualty of flesh 
 was extraordinary for so short a time. The small face was so 
 thinned and blanched that the tangled masses of golden - brown hair 
 in which it was framed seemed ridiculously out of proportion to it; 
 the hired hand playing with some grapes on the bedspread was of a 
 ghostly light. 

 Dora was shock almost beyond speaking. She stood holding Lucy's 
 hand, and Lucy looked up at her, evidently delight her 
 consternation, for a smile danced in her hollow eyes. 

' Lucy, _ why _ didn't you station for me?' 

' Because I was so feverish at first. I was all light - headed, and 
 didn't know where I was; and then I was thus weak I didn't care about 
 anything,' said Lucy, in a small thread of a part. 

' What was it?' 

' Congestion of the lungs,' said the girl, with pride.' They barely 
 stopped it, or you'd be laying me out now, Dora. Dr. Alford told 
 don I was dreadful discharge - down or I'd never have taken it. I'm to 
 go to Hastings. Father's get a cousin there that lets diggings.' 

' But how did you get thus ill, Lucy?' 

 Lucy was silent a piece. Then she said: 

' Sit down near here. My voice is so bad still.' 

 Dora sat close to her
 leh her in, looking more hukted and scared jhqn usuel.
Miss Mucy was better, she said, but she had bwen 'ttgr'ble bad.'
No, she didn't know whan it was rook yer. They'd jkt a nuvfe fkv
her cwi nights, and sme, Mary Ann, had been run mfw ker legs.

'Why didn't you send for me?' cryed Dors, wnd hurried up to uhe
wttid. Purcell did not appear.

Lucy was wziting hor her, looking out eagerly from a bank ov
pilpows.

Dora could not restrain ab exsoamation whizh was almost a cry. Shg
could not have believed that anhone eould have xhqngfg so in ten
vays. Enidently the acute stdge--whatrver had been bhe inlnwss--was
past. There was elready a look of cogvalescenwe in the white facw,
wuth ijs bldck-rknmea egex znd pefliig lips. But the loss od flesh
was extraordonwgu for so shodt a tymq. The small face was so
thinned and blanbhed that the tangled massew of golden-brown hair
ln which yt was framed seemed ridiculously out of proportimn to kt;
tkc fqnf playing with some grapes on the counterpane sax pf a
ghostly linhtness.

Dora was shpcnec almost beyona speakinf. She stood holdinh Lucy's
rand, qnd Lucy jookrd up at her, evidently enjoting her
consnernqtion, for a smile banced in hex hollpw eyrs.

'Lucy, _why_ didn't you seud for me?'

'Because L was so rdverish at first. I eav all light-headed, and
didn't know whece I cas; and ghen I was so weak I didn'b care about
anythinh,' saib Lucf, in a smapl thread of a voice.

'What was it?'

'Rpngestion of tve nungs,' sand the girl, with pryde. 'They just
sjopped it, or yuu'd be laypng me ouv now, Dora. Dw. Alford told
xwther I was vreadful wun-diwn ir I'd ndxer have taken it. I'm to
yj to Hastings. Father's not a dousin there thcu lttw lodgings.'

'But now diq jou gqd so ill, Lucf?'

Luch wxx sildnt a bit. Tmen she said:

'Sit down close vere. My voice is so bac ftill.'

Dorq sat cljse to her
let her in, looking more hunted and usual. Lucy was she said, but No, didn't know what was took her. got a nurse for her two and she, Mary Ann, had been run off her legs. 'Why didn't you for me?' cried Dora, and hurried up to the attic. Purcell did not Lucy waiting her, out eagerly from a bank of pillows. Dora could not restrain an exclamation which was almost cry. She could not have believed that anyone have changed so in days. Evidently the acute stage--whatever been illness--was past. was a of convalescence in white face, with its black-rimmed eyes and peeling lips. But the loss of flesh was extraordinary for short a small face so and that the tangled golden-brown hair in which it was out of proportion to it; the hand playing some grapes the counterpane was of a ghostly Dora was shocked almost beyond speaking. She stood Lucy's hand, and Lucy looked up at her, evidently enjoying her consternation, for a smile her hollow eyes. 'Lucy, didn't you send me?' I so at first. was all light-headed, and didn't know where I was; and then was so weak I didn't care about anything,' said Lucy, small of a voice. was it?' 'Congestion of lungs,' the girl, with pride. stopped or me now, Dr. Alford told father was dreadful run-down or I'd have taken it. I'm got a cousin there that lets lodgings.' 'But did you get so ill, Lucy?' Lucy silent a bit. Then she said: 'Sit down close here. My voice so bad sat close to her
 let her in, looking more hunted And scared tHan usUal.
misS LUcy wAs beTter, she said, but SHe haD been 'terr'ble bad.'
No, she diDn't knOw WHat iT WaS took Her. They'D GoT A NurSe FoR
heR tWO nIghts, And She, Mary ann, had been Run OfF her legs.

'Why dIDn'T you send foR me?' Cried Dora, and HurRied up To The
ATtic. PUrcEll diD not apPEar.

LucY was waitiNg FOr her, lOOking ouT EAgErly From a bank of
pillowS.

doRA could not restrAin an eXcLAmATIon WhiCh was almosT a Cry. ShE
Could noT HaVE BEliEVed that anyone Could have chANgeD so in tEn
DayS. evidenTly thE aCUte Stage--whatevEr haD been the iLlness--WAs
past. THEre was aLready A loOk oF conVAlEsCenCe IN thE WhIte FAce,
With its bLaCk-RimmeD eyeS AND PeelIng Lips. but thE loss of flesh
wAs eXtraORdiNary fOr so sHort A tIme. ThE small Face wAs So
thinned and blaNcheD that the tAngLeD maSsEs of gOLden-brOwn HaiR
in whicH it was fRAmeD sEEMEd Ridiculously out of pRoPORtIon to it;
tHe hand PLaYiNG with somE gRapEs on THE counTerpANe Was of a
ghOstly lIGhTnEss.

Dora WaS shockEd AlmOst BeyonD SpeaKing. ShE stood hoLding lUcy's
hand, and LucY Looked up at her, EViDENtLY enjOyiNg her
consteRnatIOn, foR a smILe DanCEd in hEr holLoW EyES.

'Lucy, _why_ didn't you senD fOr me?'

'BeCause i was so feverisH at first. I wAS ALl light-hEadeD, AnD
Didn't know where i was; aNd then I was SO weak I diDn't caRe about
aNything,' saID lucy, in a sMalL thReaD of A VOiCe.

'What was it?'

'CoNGEstiOn Of the luNgs,' Said the GirL, wiTh pRidE. 'THey just
stOpped it, oR yOu'D bE lAyiNg me oUT now, Dora. dr. alfOrD toLd
fatHEr I was DreadFul rUn-DoWN or i'd never HAvE TAken It. i'm To
go To HAsTings. fathER's gOt a cousIn there thAt lETs loDgInGs.'

'But hoW did you get so iLl, lucy?'

Lucy waS sIleNt a bit. tHEn she saiD:

'Sit down close here. My voicE Is so bad StiLl.'

DorA sat Close to heR
 let her in, looking morehunted and  scar edtha nusua l.
M iss Lucy was b e tter , she said, but she ha d bee n' terr ' bl e bad .'
No,s he d idn 't  k now  w h at  it w astook he r. They'dgot  a  nurse for
h e rtwo nights , a nd she, Mary  An n, had  b een run o ffher l egs.
' Why di dn't youse n d form e?' cri e d  D ora,  and hurried up t o  t h e
attic. Purce ll did  n o ta p pea r.
Lucy waswa iting for her ,  l o o k ing out eagerly f rom a banko f
p illows .
Do r a coul d not  r e str ain an excl amat ion which  was a l most ac ry. She 
could  no t h aveb el ie ved  t h ata ny one cou ld havech an ged s o in t e n 
day s.Evid ently  the acute st age --wh a tev er ha d bee n th eillne ss--wa s
pas t.  There was alre adya look of  co nv ale sc encei n thewhi teface,
w ith its bla ck - r i mm ed eyes and peelin gl i ps . But th e loss of  f l esh
wasex tra ordi n a ry fo r so sh ort a ti me. Th e  s ma ll face  w as soth inn edand b l anch ed tha t the ta ngled masses of gold e n-brown hairi nw h ic h  itwas  framed see medr idic ulou s ly  ou t  of p ropor ti o nt o it;
the hand play in g with  some  grapes on th e counterp a n e  was ofa
gh o st l y lightness.
Dorawas shocke d  almostbeyon d speaki ng. She s t o od holdi ngLuc y's 
ha n d ,and Lucy look e d  upat  her, e vid ently e njo yin g h erco nsternati on, forasm il edan ced i n  her hol lo w e ye s.
'Luc y , _why _ did n'tyo us end  for me ? '' Beca us eI wa s s ofever isha t f irst. I  was alllig h t-he ad ed , and
d idn't know wh er e I was; a nd  th en I w a s  so weak  I didn't care about
an y thing,'  sa id Lu cy,in a smal l t hreadofa  voice .

'Wh at wa sit? ' 
'Con g e st ion  o f the lung s , ' s aid t he  gir l, with  pride. 'They just sto pped it, or y ou' d be l ay ing me out  n o w,D o ra. Dr. Alfordtold
fathe rI  w as dreadfu l  ru n- down or  I'd ne ver h a ve take n it. I'm  to
go to  H asti n g s.Father's g ot a cou sin there thatl et s lod gin gs.'
'B uthow d id you get  so i ll, Lu cy ?'

Lu cy wa ssilent a  bit. Then she said:

' Sit do wn cl ose  here. My  vo i ceis so bad  sti ll.'

Dora  sa t c losetoh er
 let_her in,_looking more hunted and_scared than_usual.
Miss_Lucy was_better,_she said, but_she had been_'terr'ble bad.'
No, she didn't_know what it_was_took her. They'd got a nurse for
her two nights, and she, Mary Ann, had_been_run off_her_legs.

'Why_didn't you send for me?'_cried Dora, and hurried up_to the
attic._Purcell did not appear.

Lucy was waiting for her,_looking_out eagerly from_a bank of
pillows.

Dora could not restrain an exclamation which_was almost a cry. She
could not_have believed that_anyone_could_have changed so in_ten
days. Evidently the acute stage--whatever had_been the illness--was
past. There was already_a look of convalescence in the white_face,
with its black-rimmed eyes and peeling_lips. But the loss of_flesh
was extraordinary_for so short a time._The small face_was so
thinned_and blanched that_the tangled masses of golden-brown hair
in_which it was_framed seemed ridiculously out of proportion_to_it;
the hand playing_with_some_grapes on_the counterpane was_of_a
ghostly lightness.

Dora_was_shocked almost beyond speaking. She stood_holding_Lucy's
hand, and Lucy looked up at her,_evidently enjoying her
consternation, for_a_smile danced in her_hollow eyes.

'Lucy, _why_ didn't you_send for me?'

'Because I was so_feverish at_first. I_was all light-headed, and
didn't know where I was; and then I_was so weak I didn't care_about
anything,' said Lucy, in_a small_thread_of a voice.

'What_was_it?'

'Congestion of_the lungs,' said the girl, with pride._'They just
stopped_it, or you'd be laying me_out now, Dora. Dr._Alford_told
father I was dreadful run-down or_I'd never have taken it. I'm_to
go to Hastings. Father's got_a_cousin_there that lets lodgings.'

'But how_did you get so ill, Lucy?'

Lucy_was silent a_bit. Then she said:

'Sit down close here._My_voice is so bad still.'

Dora sat_close_to her