There could be no doubt on that point. Little Loo, as Emma styled her, was worn to a shadow by sickness, which had hitherto baffled the doctor's skill. But she was a beautiful shadow; such a sweet, gentle shadow, that one might feel thankful, rather than otherwise, to be haunted by it. "Pray don't mind me; I'm too tired to speak to you yet; just go on talking. I like to listen," said Loo softly. With ready kindness, Miss Tippet at once sought to draw attention from the child, by reverting to Mrs Denman; and Matty created a little opportune confusion by stumbling into the room with the tea. Matty usually tripped over the carpet at the door, and never seemed to become wiser from experience. "Poor Mrs Denman," said Miss Tippet, pouring out the tea; "it must have been an awful shock; think of a (Sugar, brother? I always forget), what was I--oh, yes; think of a fireman seizing one round the (Cream, Willie? I know you have a sweet tooth, so I don't need to ask if you take sugar)--yes, he carried her down that dreadful what-d'ye-call-it, and into the next house with nothing (A little more sugar, Julia? No? )-- nothing on but her what's-'is-name. Oh! it was sad; sad to lose all her fine things, too--her furniture, and--and thingumies. Do try a piece of cake, brother." "I know a worse case than hers," said Willie, with a knowing look. "Do you?" exclaimed Miss Tippet. "Oh! do tell it," cried Emma earnestly; "he's just been telling it to me, and it is _so_ sad and interesting." "Come, let's hear about it, lad," said Mr Tippet. Thus encouraged, Willie related his adventure with the clown's family, and told his tale with such genuine feeling, that Miss Tippet, Loo, and Emma found their eyes moist when he had concluded. There was a good deal of comment upon this subject, and Miss Deemas animadverted very strongly upon actors in general and clowns in particular. As to ballet-girls, she could not find words to express her contempt for them; but in reference to this Miss Tippet ventured to rebuke her friend, and to say that although she could not and would not defend the position of these unfortunates, yet she felt that they were very much to be pitied, seeing that they were in many cases trained to their peculiarly indelicate life by their parents, and had been taught to regard ballet-dancing as quite a proper and legitimate what's-its-name. No doubt this was only a palliation of the life they led, but she thought that if anyone was to be severely blamed in the matter it was the people who went to witness and encourage such wicked displays. Miss Deemas dissented generally from all her friend's observations, and, wishing to change the subject, asked Loo if her father was coming to fetch her home. "No," said Loo; "dear papa is not well to-night, but he is to send the carriage for me. Oh, I wish," she continued, reverting to the previous subject, "I _wish_ I could do something for these poor people. I'm so very, very sorry for the fairy."