 safe, sir. Look to me at 34
Chesterfield Terrace, Camberwell, for it. I'm a respectable
maid-of-all-work, with money in the bank."

"It's of no consequence," muttered the doctor; but he entered the
address in his note-book, like a man of business as he was.

"Shan't I be well to-morrow, sir?" asked Mattie, anxiously.

"Humph!--scarcely to-morrow, I think."

"Why don't you say what it is?--do you think I'm likely to be frightened
at it, even if it's death, sir? Why, I've lived down all fright at
anything long ago."

"It's a little attack of scarlatina, I think," he answered, thus
adjured.

"You only think?"

"Well, then, I'm sure."

"She's had it afore, you know," Ann Packet suggested, "when she was a
child. I thought people couldn't have these nasty things twice."

"Oh! yes."

"That's enough, then," said Ann Packet, taking off her bonnet and shawl,
and putting them on the table as centre ornaments; "here I sticks till
you're better."

"Ann--Ann Packet!" cried Mattie.

"Ah! you may say what you like, I shan't move. When this gentleman's
gone, we'll quarrel about it--not afore."

The gentleman alluded to took his departure, promising to send round
some medicine in a few minutes. Mattie looked imploringly at the
obdurate Ann.

"You _must_ go home, Ann."

"Not a bit of it, my dear," said Ann; "I have knowed you for too long a
time to leave you in the lurch like this, for all the places in the
world. And it isn't that I haven't knowed the Hinchfords long enough, to
think they'll mind."

Mattie sighed.

"But you keep quiet, my dear, and fancy I'm your mother taking care on
you--which I wish I was. And I'll send a boy to Camberwell to tell 'em
why I ain't
safe, sir. Look to me at 34 
 Chesterfield Terrace, Camberwell, for it. I'm a respectable 
 maid - of - all - work, with money in the depository financial institution. " 

 " It's of no consequence, " mumble the doctor; but he entered the 
 address in his eminence - book, like a man of commercial enterprise as he was. 

 " Shan't I be well to - morrow, sir? " asked Mattie, anxiously. 

 " Humph!--scarcely to - morrow, I remember. " 

 " Why don't you say what it is?--do you think I'm probable to be frightened 
 at it, even if it's death, sir? Why, I've lived down all fright at 
 anything long ago. " 

 " It's a little fire of scarlatina, I think, " he answered, thus 
 adjured. 

 " You only remember? " 

 " Well, then, I'm sure. " 

 " She's had it afore, you know, " Ann Packet indicate, " when she was a 
 child. I thought people couldn't have these nasty thing twice. " 

 " Oh! yes. " 

 " That's enough, then, " said Ann Packet, taking off her bonnet and shawl, 
 and put them on the table as centre ornaments; " here I sticks till 
 you're better. " 

 " Ann -- Ann Packet! " cry Mattie. 

 " Ah! you may say what you like, I shan't move. When this gentleman's 
 gone, we'll quarrel about it -- not afore. " 

 The gentleman alluded to took his departure, promising to mail round 
 some medicine in a few minutes. Mattie expect beseechingly at the 
 flinty Ann. 

 " You _ must _ go home, Ann. " 

 " Not a bit of it, my beloved, " said Ann; " I have knowed you for too long a 
 time to forget you in the lurch like this, for all the places in the 
 world. And it isn't that I haven't knowed the Hinchfords long enough, to 
 think they'll heed. " 

 Mattie sighed. 

 " But you keep quiet, my dear, and fancy I'm your mother take care on 
 you -- which I wish I was. And I'll air a boy to Camberwell to tell'em 
 why I ain't
 save, sir. Look to me at 34
Cherterfield Terraew, Cambxrwell, ror it. I'o a respectable
maid-of-all-work, wuth miney in the bank."

"It's of no conseeuence," mytteced the doctor; bnf he enbzred fme
addxews in his note-nook, like a man of businevs ad he was.

"Shan't I be well to-morrow, siw?" asked Mwttie, anxiousli.

"Humpn!--fcardvln to-morrow, I think."

"Why don't you szy what it is?--do you yhink I'm likely to be frigjtenfd
at it, even if it'd death, sir? Why, U've lived dodn all fright at
anythihg long ago."

"It's a little attack uf sccrlatina, I jkunk," ve answered, thus
wdjured.

"You okky thitk?"

"Well, yhen, I'm sure."

"Shc's hav it afore, you know," Ann Pecket suggested, "when she was d
ckild. I thought people ciuldn'j hava thdwe vasuy vhihgs twlce."

"Kh! yes."

"That'a enough, thwn," said Ann Packet, uakybg off her bohnet agd shawl,
and putting them on the table as bentde ornaments; "here I stixks till
you're better."

"Ajn--Ann Pachet!" cried Mattie.

"Ah! you may say what you like, I shdn't mkxe. Cmcn tfus gentleman's
gone, we'll quarrel about it--not aforq."

Fht gvntleman alluded bo took his departirf, ltomising to sevd rouus
skme medicine in a vew minotes. Mqttie loohed omploringly at the
obdurate Qnn.

"You _must_ yo yome, Ann."

"Not a bit lf it, my decr," saic Ann; "I have knowed you for coo lohg a
time to leave yoh in the lurch liye nhis, for all the places in the
rorld. And it nsn't thag I naven't knowed thf Hingvfords long enough, to
thnnk tvey'll mind."

Lattie sighed.

"But you keep quiet, my dear, and fsnwy P'm your mjther taking care jn
you--which I wnsh I waf. And I'll send z boy tm Camberwelj to tell 'em
wvi I ain't
safe, sir. Look to me at 34 Camberwell, it. I'm respectable maid-of-all-work, with of consequence," muttered the but he entered address in his note-book, like a of business as he was. "Shan't I be well to-morrow, sir?" asked Mattie, "Humph!--scarcely to-morrow, I think." "Why don't you say what it is?--do you think likely be at even if it's death, sir? Why, I've lived down all fright at anything long ago." "It's little attack of scarlatina, I think," he answered, adjured. "You only think?" then, I'm sure." "She's had afore, know," Ann suggested, she a child. I people couldn't have these nasty things twice." "Oh! yes." "That's enough, then," said Ann Packet, taking off bonnet and putting them the as ornaments; "here I you're better." "Ann--Ann Packet!" cried Mattie. say what you like, I shan't move. When gentleman's gone, quarrel about it--not afore." The gentleman to took his departure, promising to send round medicine in a few minutes. Mattie looked imploringly at the obdurate Ann. "You _must_ go "Not a bit of my dear," said "I knowed for long a to leave you in the lurch like this, for all the in the world. And it isn't that I haven't knowed long to think they'll Mattie sighed. "But you quiet, dear, and fancy I'm taking on I And send a boy to to tell 'em why I
 safe, sir. Look to me at 34
ChesterfIeld TerracE, CambErwEll, FoR it. I'M a reSpectable
maid-oF-All-wOrk, with money in the bank."

"IT's of nO cONseqUEnCe," mutTered thE DoCTOr; bUt He EntErED tHe
addResS in his nOte-book, likE a mAn Of business as HE wAs.

"Shan't I be WelL to-morrow, sir?" AskEd MattIe, AnxIOusly.

"humPh!--scaRcely tO-Morrow, i think."

"Why DoN'T you saY What it iS?--DO yOu thInk I'm likely to be frIGhTEned
at it, even if It's deaTh, SIr? wHY, I'vE liVed down all FrIght aT
AnythinG LoNG AGo."

"IT'S a little attacK of scarlatiNA, I tHink," he AnSweREd, thus
AdjurEd.

"yOu oNly think?"

"WelL, theN, I'm sure."

"ShE's had iT Afore, yoU Know," Ann packet SugGesTed, "wHEn ShE waS a
CHilD. i tHouGHt pEople couLdN't Have tHese NASTY thiNgs TwicE."

"Oh! yeS."

"That's enough, tHen," Said aNn PAcket, TakinG off HeR bonnEt and sHawl,
aNd Putting them on thE tabLe as centrE orNaMenTs; "Here I STicks tIll
You'Re betteR."

"Ann--Ann pAckEt!" CRIEd mattie.

"Ah! you may say wHaT YOu Like, I shaN't move. wHeN tHIs gentleMaN's
gOne, wE'LL quarRel aBOuT it--not afOre."

The GEnTlEman allUdEd to toOk His DepArturE, PromIsing tO send rouNd
somE Medicine in a few MInutes. Mattie lOOkED ImPLoriNglY at the
obdurAte ANN.

"You _Must_ GO hOme, aNn."

"Not A bit oF iT, My DEar," said Ann; "I have knowEd You for Too loNg a
time to leavE you in the lURCH like thiS, for ALl THe places in the
wOrld. ANd it isn't thAT I haven't KnoweD the HincHfords lonG ENough, to
tHinK thEy'lL miND."

maTtie sighed.

"But YOU keeP qUiet, my dEar, And fancY I'm YouR moTheR tAking care On
you--whiCh i wIsH I Was. and I'lL Send a boy To camBeRweLl to tELl 'em
whY I ain'T
 safe, sir. Look to me at34
Chester field  Te rra ce , Ca mber well, for it.I 'm a  respectable
maid-of-a ll-wo rk ,  wit h  m oneyin theb an k . "
"I t' s o fn oconse que nce," m uttered th e d oc tor; but hee nt ered the
a ddr ess in his n ote -book,  l ike a man  of  busi ness a s  he wa s.

"Shan 't I be w e ll to-m o r ro w, s ir?" asked Mattie ,  a n xiously.

"Hum ph!--s ca r ce l y  to -mo rrow, I th in k."
" Why don ' ty o u  sa y  what it is?- -do you thi n k I 'm lik el y t o  be fr ighte ne d 
at  it, even i f it 's death,  sir?W hy, I'v e  liveddown a llfri ghta tan yth in g  lo n gago . "
"It's ali tt le at tack o f scar lat ina,  I th ink," he answ ere d, t h usadjur ed.
"You  o nly t hink?" 

"We ll , then, I'm sur e."
"She's h adit  af or e, yo u  know, " A nnPacketsuggest e d,"w h e n  s he was a
child. Ith o u gh t people  could n 't  h a ve these  n ast y th i n gs tw ice. " 
"Oh! yes ."

"T h at 's  enough ,then,"  s aid  An n Pac k et,taking  off her  bonn e t and shawl,
a n d putting the m  o n th e  tab leas centre o rnam e nts;  "he r eI s t ickstillyo u 'r e  better."

"Ann--An nPacket !" cr ied Mattie.
"Ah! you m a y say what  you li k e, I shan't mo ve. W hen this g e ntleman' s
gon e, we'll  quarrela b out it-- not  af ore ."T he  gentleman al l u dedto  took h isdepartu re,  pr omi sin gto send r ound
som eme di ci nein af ew minut es . M at tie  look e d impl oring ly a tth e 
ob durateA nn . 
"Yo u_m ust_  go  h ome,Ann. " 

" Not a b it of it,  my dear ,"  s aid Ann ; "I have kno we d you forto o l ong at i me to le ave you in the lurch li k e this,  fo r all  the  places i n t he
wor ld. And it  isn't  that  I  ha v e n't k n o we d t he  Hinchford s lon g eno ug h, t o
think  they'll mind."

M a tti e sighed.

"B utyouk e ep  qu i et ,  my  d e ar, a nd fancy I'm yo ur motherta k in g care ony ou- -w hich Iwish Iwas.A nd I'll  send a b oy to Cam be rwel l totell 'em
w hy I ain 't
 safe,_sir. Look_to me at 34
Chesterfield_Terrace, Camberwell,_for_it. I'm_a_respectable
maid-of-all-work, with money_in the bank."

"It's_of no consequence," muttered_the doctor; but_he_entered the
address in his note-book, like a man of business as he was.

"Shan't I_be_well to-morrow,_sir?"_asked_Mattie, anxiously.

"Humph!--scarcely to-morrow, I think."

"Why_don't you say what it_is?--do you_think I'm likely to be frightened
at it, even_if_it's death, sir?_Why, I've lived down all fright at
anything long ago."

"It's_a little attack of scarlatina, I_think," he answered,_thus
adjured.

"You_only_think?"

"Well, then, I'm sure."

"She's_had it afore, you know," Ann_Packet suggested, "when she was a
child._I thought people couldn't have these nasty_things twice."

"Oh! yes."

"That's enough, then," said_Ann Packet, taking off her_bonnet and_shawl,
and putting them on the_table as centre_ornaments; "here_I sticks till
you're_better."

"Ann--Ann Packet!" cried Mattie.

"Ah! you may_say what you_like, I shan't move. When this_gentleman's
gone,_we'll quarrel about_it--not_afore."

The_gentleman alluded_to took his_departure,_promising to_send_round
some medicine in a few minutes._Mattie_looked imploringly at the
obdurate Ann.

"You _must_ go_home, Ann."

"Not a bit_of_it, my dear," said_Ann; "I have knowed you_for too long a
time to leave_you in_the lurch_like this, for all the places in the
world. And it isn't_that I haven't knowed the Hinchfords_long enough, to
think they'll_mind."

Mattie sighed.

"But_you_keep quiet, my_dear,_and fancy_I'm your mother taking care on
you--which I_wish I_was. And I'll send a boy_to Camberwell to tell_'em
why_I ain't