Her manner changed. As she looked at me, all the anger, all the little gust of defiance faded out of her great eyes, and she fell to sobbing and whispering-- “I dare not--I dare not!” “May I take her into your room, Mrs. Rayner?” “No, no.” “Then, if you will allow me, I will take her up into mine. You won’t mind her being so far from you, if you know it is better for her, will you?” said I persuasively. “It is so beautifully warm up there that it won’t matter if she throws the clothes off her, as she can’t help doing, poor little thing; and I’ll wrap her up well, so that she shall not take cold on the way.” Mrs. Rayner stared at me helplessly. “Will you dare?” she asked fearfully. “Certainly, with your permission.” “You know very well that my permission is nothing,” sobbed she. “And I don’t wonder, you poor spiritless thing!” I thought to myself. But I was very sorry for her; and I asked if she would like to have my room for the night, to be near her child. But she was frightened at the idea; so I wrapped the child up well in a blanket, thinking I would put her in my own bed until her little one could be taken upstairs. I was rather frightened myself at the thought of giving such an order to the awful Sarah, and, just as I was debating with myself whether she would be likely to obey it, she entered the room. I attacked her at once. “Sarah, I want you to bring Miss Haidee’s bed up into my room, if you please. This is too cold for her. Jane can help you, if it is too heavy.” She seemed not to be quite sure whether to be insolent or submissive. She decided for the former. “And by what authority, miss, do you give orders for moving about the furniture?” “Your mistress wishes it to be done.” “My mistress! And pray who is that, miss?” “You know--Mrs. Rayner.” “And is that all the authority you have, miss?” “No,” said I boldly; “more than that--Mr. Rayner’s!” The women both started, and Sarah took up the bed and without a word went out of the room. I turned to Mrs. Rayner. “Don’t be alarmed about Haidee,” I said gently. “I’ll take great care of her. And, if you will just give your consent, I will send for a doctor on my own responsibility.” The poor thing stooped and kissed one of the hands I held round her child. “Heaven bless you, Miss Christie!” she murmured; and, turning away, she sank down upon the empty space where the bed had been, and burst into a flood of tears. She would not listen to the few incoherent words I said to comfort her; and I was obliged to leave the room with tears in my eyes, and carry my little patient upstairs. I could not go very fast, for the burden was rather heavy for a small woman like me; and by the time I got upstairs the bed was ready and Sarah had disappeared. And now how to get a doctor? For I was seriously alarmed about the child. To expect any more help from Sarah was out of the question. I went down to the nursery, called Jane, who was just going to bed, and asked her where Sam slept.