"Can't you help me decide?" begged Madge.
"No." Phil shook her head sadly. "You'll have to make up your mind for yourself."
The two girls sat in silence after this. They heard Mrs. Curtis come softly into the room and take a low chair in the far corner of the cabin, so as not to disturb Mollie if the girl should awake. She could just see the bed, but not the face of the girl on the pillow.
By and by Mollie stirred. "I am thirsty," she said distinctly. "Will some one please get me a glass of water?"
Phil rose quickly. "Here it is, Mollie," she answered, handing the girl the water, and trying to lift her with the other arm. Madge stooped over to aid her.
"Thank you," responded Mollie gently. "But why do you call me Mollie? My name isn't Mollie."
"We never liked to call you 'Moll'," replied Madge soothingly. "Mollie seemed to us to be a prettier name."
The girl laughed lightly. "No, I shouldn't think you would. My name is Madeleine, not Mollie. And you are Phyllis and Madge. I wonder why I never told you before that my name is Madeleine." Mollie's eyes had lost their pathetic stare. They were quiet and reasonable.
"Don't try to talk, Mollie—Madeleine, I mean," murmured Phil. "You must try to go to sleep again."
She and Madge never changed their positions until the ill girl's head grew heavy on their arms and she slept peacefully.