The young girl came in; and, for the first time, her father seemed to see the bright red spot that burned on her cheek, the unnatural brilliancy of her blue eyes, the painful shortness of her breath. A mist seemed to fall from his eyes, and the dread truth to stand revealed before him; but he did not speak, nor did Rachel; Mary looked at them both, wondering. "Well, what ails you two, that you stare at me so," she said, pertly. "I am so hot," she added, after a while. "I think I shall stay at home, as you said. Miss Gray." She went into the back parlour, and sat down on the first chair she found at hand. Rachel Gray and her father followed her in. The poor child, who, because she had felt no actual pain, had thought that she could not be ill, now, for the first time, felt that she was so. "What ails you, dear?" softly asked Rachel, bending over her, as she saw her gradually turning pale. "La! bless you. Miss Gray, I am quite well--only I feel so faint like." And even as she spoke, her head sank on the bosom of Rachel--she had fainted. When Mary recovered to consciousness, she was lying on her bed, up stairs. Rachel stood by her pillow. At the foot of her bed, Mary caught sight of her father's face, ghastly pale. Between the two, she saw a strange gentleman, a doctor, who felt her pulse, put a few questions to her, wrote a prescription, and soon left. "I must go now," said Rachel, "but I shall come back this evening, and bring my work." Jones did not heed her; he looked stupified and like one bereft of sense, but Mary laughed and replied, "Oh! do Miss Gray, come and take tea with us." Rachel promised that she would try, kissed her and left. With great difficulty she obtained from Mrs. Brown the permission to return. They on whom the light of this world shone not, were rarely in the favour of Mrs. Brown. And only on condition of being home early did she allow Rachel to depart. Before leaving, she went up to her other's chair, he was not now quite so helpless as at first, and did not require her constant presence or assistance; though he still did not know her. "I shall try and not be too long away," said Rachel in a low voice. "Never mind," he muttered, shaking his head, "never mind." "There's a precious old fool for you!" said Mrs. Brown laughing coarsely. A flush of pain crossed Rachel's cheek, but to have replied, would have been to draw down a storm on her head; she silently left the house.