"Please, ma'am," she said, addressing Miss Jameson; "Mrs. Bartlett's servant has been here to say that the young ladies are not to go there on any account. The doctor has been to see Miss Edith, and he says that she has got scarlet fever!"
"Dear me!" said Miss Jameson, looking troubled; "I am very sorry to hear that."
The children were dismayed at the news. The girls looked at each other in silence; but little Harry put their thoughts into words when he said, half frightened at the grave faces around him: "But she won't die, will she, Miss Jameson, because she has scarlet fever?"
"I hope not," said the governess, rather tremulously; "but she is such a delicate child. We must all pray that God will spare her life."
"Oh," said Katie, under her breath, "I wish we had not been speaking so unkindly of her."
Florrie could not speak. Her face had grown perfectly white under the shock of painful fear. All the joy of Gertie's birthday was over for her.
[CHAPTER VI.]
Lessons not Learned from Books.
THE children had expected to spend a happy evening in dressing their dolls; but now it was with grave, sad faces that they set about their work. It was dreadful to know that Cousin Edith was so ill, and then to remember how vexed they had been with her on Friday, and what unkind things they had said.
"Of course she was cross because she felt so ill," said Kate, sagely. "I expect we should have been as bad. I am always like a bear when I feel sick."