CHAPTER THIRTEENTH.
"Affliction is the wholesome soil of virtue; Where patience, honor, sweet humanity, Calm fortitude, take root, and strongly flourish." -- MALLET AND THOMSON'S ALFRED.
A bath, a nap, and a dainty supper had refreshed Molly somewhat before the children were admitted to her room, but they found her looking pale and thin, and oh, so sorrowful! so different from the bright, merry, happy "Cousin Molly" of six months ago.
Their little hearts swelled with sympathetic grief, and tears filled their eyes as one after another they took her hand and kissed her lovingly.
"Poor child, I so solly for oo!" said Herbert, and Molly laughed hysterically, then put her hands over her face, and sobbed as though her heart would break.

First, it was the oddity of being called "child" by such a mere baby, then the thought that she had become an object of pity to such an one.
"Don' ky," he said, pulling away her hand to kiss her cheek.

"Herbie didn't mean to make oo ky." "Come, Herbie dear, let us go now; we mustn't tease poor sick cousin," whispered his sister Elsie, drawing him gently away.
"No, no! let him stay; let him love me," sobbed Molly.

"He is a dear little fellow," she added, returning his caresses, and wiping away her tears.
"Herbie will love oo, poor old sing," he said, stroking her face, "and mamma and papa, and all de folks will be ever so dood to oo." Molly's laugh was more natural this time, and under its inspiring influence, the little ones grew quite merry, really amusing her with their prattle, till their mammy came to take them to bed.
Elsie was beginning to say good-night too, thinking there was danger of wearying the invalid, but Molly said, "I don't wonder you want to leave me; mother says nobody could like to stay with such a----" she broke off suddenly, again hid her face in her hands and wept bitterly.
"Oh, no, no! I was only afraid of tiring you," Elsie said, leaning over her and stroking her hair with soft, gentle touch.

"I should like to stay and talk if you wish; to tell you all about our visit to the Crags, and mamma's old governess, and----" "Oh, yes, do; anything to help me to forget, even for a few minutes.