"We will not talk of that yet. See, I have brought you something that you like;" and she opened a paper bag and displayed half a dozen Naples biscuits.
Flo turned her face to the wall and wept.
Mrs. Eyre was puzzled, but the child seemed so ill and feverish that she judged it better to ask no questions. She began getting the room ready for tea, and then took baby out of his cradle, wide awake now, and as jolly as usual. Mr. Eyre came home, the other children came downstairs, and they all sat down to tea. Hetty had set the tray on the table, and was leaving the room, when Flo called to her.
"Hetty! Take me to bed. I want nothing to eat. I'm tired; please, may I go to bed?"
"Oh, my child, just eat a little bit. Hetty, has she eaten anything since we went out?"
"No, ma'am."
"Take me to bed!" cried Flo desperately. "I will go to bed. Mamma, give Lina and Edgar the biscuits; do, mamma, please."
Hetty put her to bed; she was very silent, until she was tucked snugly into her little white nest, when she said, "Good-night, Hetty. I am a very unhappy person. After what has happened, no one will love me."
Hetty laughed, and kissed her. "That's a funny notion, Miss Flo. Why, here's Zelica. After being asleep the whole evening, she is wide awake now; I had better take her back to the parlour."
"No, no; give her to me. Oh, Zelica, I'm so glad that you won't understand. Go away, now, Hetty, I want to think, and see if I can do it."