"AH, good morning, my dear child! Good morning, sir," the doctor said in an undertone, giving his hand to Mildred and the minister in turn. Then with an anxious glance at the bed "How is he? sleeping now, I see. How did he rest through the night?" "Not very well, and--" "Your mother? where is she? not down too?" with almost a groan, as he read the truth in the young girl's face. Mildred led him to her. She lay on the lounge still, with closed eyes and face of deathly pallor, her cheek resting against the dark curls of Rupert, who had thrown himself on the floor by her side, and laid his head on the same pillow, while he held one of her hands, caressing it tenderly. His cheeks were burning, his eyes sparkling with fever. The doctor glanced from one to the other. "Ought to be in bed; both of you. Go my boy, at once; you are not fit to be here." "I can't, sir, indeed; I'm needed to take care of the others." "You will help most by giving up at once," said the doctor; "otherwise you will make yourself so sick as to need a great deal of attention." "Yes, go, my dear boy," whispered Mrs. Keith. "I will, since you bid me, darling mother," he answered, pressing his hot lips to her cheek, then tottering from the room. She looked after him with sad, pitying eyes, "So sick, and your mother not able to nurse you! Mildred, my poor dear child, how are you to stand it?" she sighed, turning them upon her daughter's face as she bent over her. "Try not to be troubled and anxious, my dear madam," said the doctor, "the more quiet and free from care you can keep your mind, the better for you. Trust the Lord that all will come out right." "I will; he is all my hope and trust for myself and for my dear ones," she answered, with almost her accustomed cheerfulness. "Things look very dark but 'behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear.'" "And he has sent us some help already," observed Mildred; "from a most unexpected quarter." Damaris came in at that moment from the kitchen, saluted the doctor in her usual formal way, and turning to Mrs. Keith, remarked, "I hope you're not going to be very sick; but you'd ought to go to bed for to-day, anyhow. Don't you say so, doctor?" "I do most emphatically," answered the physician, who had seated himself at the table and was busied in measuring out medicines; "and I'm very glad, Miss Damaris, to see you here." "It appeared to be my duty to come," she said, looking not ill-pleased; "I'm no great nurse, but I can do housework and cook for sick or well; and them things is as necessary as the nursing." "Certainly," said Dr. Grange, and went on to give directions to her concerning the proper food for his patients, and to Mildred in regard to the administering of medicines and other remedies.