We all care, more than we thought we did till we knew you were ill." "Anna," whispered the invalid, "is she--all--right ?" "Yes, Tony has soothed her to sleep, and is sitting by her, and I am going to sit by you while you go to sleep.

Dr.Yearsley says you mustn't talk any more now," and Kitty, seated in a chair by her aunt's bedside, held her helpless hand lovingly until she had fallen into the easiest sleep she had had yet.

By-and-by the nurse came back, and Kitty was free to move.
"I think I must go and talk to Fanny now," she thought, and she made her way to the kitchen, thinking very soberly the while.
"Fanny," she said, "you and I have to steer this ship between us, and for the honour of the ship we must do it as well as ever we can.
I--I am afraid I am not very much good, but I am going to try hard; and I think we shall be able to manage it between us, don't you ?" wistfully.
"Of course having strangers in the house makes it more difficult; but we will do our best, won't we ?" "That we will, Miss Kitty," said Fanny heartily, "and between us all we ought to be able to do things fitty." The strangers, Dr.Yearsley and Mrs.Pike's nurse, made housekeeping a more serious matter certainly, and illness complicated things; but Aunt Pike's reign, though unpleasant in many ways, had made others easier for Kitty.

The house was in good order, rules had been made and enforced.
Fanny and Grace had learned much, and profited a good deal by the training, and, best of all, all worked together with a will to make things go smoothly.
There was hope and good news to cheer them too.

Aunt Pike grew daily better; by very, very slow degrees, it is true, but still there were degrees.