These, however, made those dear arms no fatter, they put none of that promised flesh on Jenny's bones.

(Why did Theophil rather creep one day as Mrs.Talbot made use of that expression ?) And Jenny was growing tired too.

She was not so ready on her feet as she used to be.

Small exertions exhausted her.

Her breath was not so available for running up and down stairs as it had been.
Then Theophil would have a doctor, who sounded Jenny, and looked a little grave, but finally, reassured, asked her if she had had a shock,--Jenny smiled rather knowingly, but denied it,--declared her a little run down and in need of bracing and nourishment, prescribed phosphites and steel.
Then Jenny got very wet one day on her way from school, and she began to cough.