"Do as I bid you," returned Mr. Dicki’son sharply; and thus rebuked, Gerty sat crossly down and bumped little Mirry on to her knee with a burst of temper, which set the child wailing again. Mr. Dicki’son had already reached the sick-room, where the nurses were still standing over his half-unconscious wife’s bed. "I want you a minute, missus," he said to the one who had been so anxious concerning the disposal of Mrs. Dicki’son’s few bits of jewellery. "Just come downstairs a minute." The woman followed him, wondering what he could want. "Just look at this little lass," he said, taking Ada Elizabeth by the hand and leading her to the window. "Do you think there is aught amiss with her?" There is little or no reserve among the poor, they speak their minds, and they tell ill news with a terrible bluntness which is simply appalling to those of a higher station; and this woman did not hesitate to say what she thought, notwithstanding the fact that she knew that the man was utterly overwrought, and that the child’s fever-bright eyes were fixed earnestly upon her. "Mr. Dicki’son," she cried, "I’ll not deceive you, no; some folks would tell you as nought ailed, but not me--wi’ her pore mother dying upstairs. I couldn’t find it in my ’eart to do it; I couldn’t indeed. Pore Ada Elizabeth’s took, and you’d better run round to Widow Martin’s and see if t’ doctor’s been there this morning. He telled me I might send there for him up to one o’clock, and it’s only ten minutes past. Ada Elizabeth, lie down on t’ sofa, honey, and keep yourself quiet. Gerty, can’t you keep Mirry at t’ window? Ada Elizabeth’s took with the fever, and can’t bear being tewed about wi’ her." Mr. Dicki’son was off after the doctor like a shot, and less than a quarter of an hour brought him back to see if the nurse’s fiat was a true one. Alas! it proved to be too true, and the kind-hearted doctor drew the grief-stricken man on one side. "Look here, Dicki’son," he said, "your wife is very ill indeed; it’s no use my deceiving you--her life hangs on a thread, and it will be only by the greatest care if she is pulled through this. The child has undoubtedly got the fever upon her, and she cannot have the attention she ought to have here. There is not room enough nor quiet enough, and there’s nobody to attend to her. Get her off to the hospital at once." "The hospital!" repeated Mr. Dicki’son blankly. He had all the horror of a hospital that so many of his class have. "It’s the child’s best chance," answered the doctor. "Of course, it may turn out only a mild attack. All the better that she should be in the hospital, in any case; in fact, I wish your wife was there this minute." "Doctor," said Mr. Dicki’son hoarsely, "I don’t like my little lass going to the hospital. I don’t like it."