Between them, the doctor and Miss
Vesta got her back into bed, and rubbed her hands, and put stimulants
between her closed lips. At last her breath began to flutter, and then
came back steadily. She opened her eyes; at first they were soft and
mild as usual, but presently a wild look stole into them.
"The child!" she whispered; "the child is gone!"
"We know it," said Dr. Brown, quietly. "We shall find her, Rejoice,
never fear. Now you must rest a few minutes, and then you shall tell
us how it happened. Why, we found you on the floor, my child,"--Miss
Rejoice was older than the doctor, but it seemed natural to call her
by any term of endearment,--"how upon earth did you get there?"
Slowly, with many pauses for breath and composure, Miss Rejoice told
her story. It was short enough. Melody had been sitting with her,
reading aloud from the great book which now lay face downward on the
floor by the window. Milton's "Paradise Lost" it was, and Rejoice Dale
could never bear to hear the book named in her life after this time. A
carriage drove up and stopped at the door, and Melody went out to see
who had come. As she went, she said, "It is a strange wagon; I have
never heard it before.
Pages:
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85