"An hour and a half," unwillingly. Sheila Pat hid weak tears in the pillow. "Nell." "Yes, asthore?" "P’raps those people who throwed theirselves off the monnyment thought they could _fly_. Do you think they did, Nell?" "Very likely. Try not to think about them, Atom." "I—I can’t help it, Nell. Do you think God would make the ground soft so’s it wouldn’t hurt _very_ much?" "Yes, dear." "Up again?" "I—I’m ’fraid I’ll burn all up, Nell!" She took the hot little hands into hers. Sheila Pat rested her head wearily against her arm. "Is Denis comin’ now, Nell?" "In an hour, now, sweetheart." "I’m so thirsty, Nell." Nell fetched the toast water. "I don’t want that! I want real water. Mayn’t I have just _one_ drink?" "Try this, dear. You mustn’t have any more plain water." She drank a little. "Have you ever been up three hundred and forty-five steps, Nell? It does make your legs ache, but I wouldn’t have minded that—if— There was only smoke and houses, Nell—" She dropped back on to her pillow and buried her head in it. "Some day you’ll see it,"—Nell’s voice shook a little—"see the greenness of it—the—" "I shouldn’t wonder if I’m dead before then," the Atom told her pillow with heartsick pessimism. "Oh, Sheila Pat! That’s not like you. You’ve had colds before, and been so brave!" "They were different colds." The pillow was dented deep as she burrowed her head feverishly in her puzzlement. "I feel quite diffrent. I think I’ve got a cold _inside_ as well as _outside_ this time, Nell." Nell looked at the dark little head in the pillow, and her eyes filled with tears. Sheila Pat started kicking. "My legs ache so, Nell! I can’t keep them still." "Let me rub them." "Where’s Molly?" "I sent her away to keep you quiet. Do you want her?" She shook her head. "Isn’t Denis comin’ yet?" "Very soon now, dear. Does rubbing make them a little better?" "Yes, thank you, but I—I’m so hot, Nell! I feel as if it’s never rained for years and years! Please may I have my Pearl?" Nell fetched him. He squeaked angrily and protestingly. "I don’t want him, thank you. S’pose I gave him my cold? Will you put him back in his cage, please?" Nell took him away, came back, and tucked her in afresh. "Now try to sleep, sweetheart." "I don’t b’lieve I’ll ever go to sleep again. I feel most as if they’ve burnt eye-holes all round my head." She heard him coming. She knelt upon the bed quivering and shaking with sick eagerness. "Well, poor little invalid!" His big arms went round her. "Wasn’t it a little goose to go and catch cold? And the people worrying over you! Pennington sent his compliments, and Lancaster his love. Has she been a good Atom, Nell?" "I—I’m very worryin’. I’m not very brave," she confided to his shoulder. "Yes, she is, but she can’t go to sleep." "Denis, might I get up—just for one minute?" "On to my knee. Come along. Plenty of blankets."