But Gentian had dashed upstairs. She could hardly believe it to be true, and flung herself on the bed by Miss Ward's unconscious figure. "Waddy, dearest Waddy, speak to me, speak! Oh, what can have happened to you!" She was so unused to illness, and the shock was so sudden, that she was almost beside herself. Dr. Wild got her out of the room and talked to her quietly downstairs, and in a short time she had regained her self-control. "She was quite well when I left her this afternoon. She had been complaining of her head these last few days, but I thought it was only one of her ordinary headaches. We can't afford a nurse. I'll nurse her myself. She's all the world to me!" So Gentian talked, but the doctor meant to have his way about a nurse. "Have her for a week, and we shall then see how things are going. Has she ever had an attack like this before?" "Never, that I know of. It's awful! What shall we do?" "You'll get through all right," he said reassuringly. "I must go now as I've other patients to see, but I'll look in again this evening and bring back a nurse with me." It seemed like some black dream to poor Gentian. She had never realized how dependent she was on Miss Ward till now, nor how deep was her affection for her. Dr. Wild was able to bring back a nice capable nurse, and Gentian was persuaded to go to bed leaving her in charge. But she did not sleep. Life, which had seemed so easy before, now presented horrible possibilities. She felt her own inexperience and irresponsibility. What would she do without her faithful friend beside her? She had no experience of housekeeping or money matters. Miss Ward had kept the house going economically, but comfortably. She would appear the first thing every morning at Gentian's bedside with a cup of tea and some daintily cut bread and butter. She tidied her room and drawers, she cooked, or supervised their village maid, she dusted the rooms and kept flowers fresh and clean, and mended Gentian's clothes; even darned her stockings. All this the girl had taken as a matter of course. It had been done during her mother's lifetime. Miss Ward had been nurse, and maid, and companion, and friend, and chaperon, in turn to her. Now she was lying unconscious, stricken down in one moment, and the doctor seemed to think seriously of the case. "O God," Gentian prayed, "have pity on me. I can't live without her! Make her well again, I beseech Thee to do it. I am quite helpless without her. I have been a selfish pig. I promise Thee I'll try to do better, and think more of her and less of myself if Thou sparest her!" She tossed to and fro on her bed, and rose the next morning unrefreshed by her night's rest. Kate, the little maid, brought her a cup of tea with scared eyes. "She ain't no better, miss. I've seen nurse. She be just the same, breathing so loud and hard, it fair frightens me!" "Send nurse to me—"