"What am I to do if you leave me just now? Nobody else will come, with scarlet fever in the house."
"Is it so dangerous?" said Fanny, in a sudden fright.
"People are silly enough to be frightened of it," said the lady, "and so I hope you will stay with me until it is all over, and then I will make you a present for the extra work you have had, as well as give you a good holiday."
Fanny considered the matter for a minute, and then consented, though she heaved a sigh as she did so, for she was growing very tired of the hard drudgery of her work day after day, without any relaxation.
Since the little girl had been so very ill, Fanny had not been able to go out even on Sunday evening. Only when sent on an errand occasionally was there a chance of losing sight and sound of the constant work and worry.
She had been there three weeks, and began to wish that she had not consented to stay beyond the month, when one morning she woke up unusually early, but when she got up her head ached so much that she was obliged to lie down on the bed again.
She managed to crawl downstairs at six o'clock, and after breakfast she felt a little better; but before she went to bed at night her throat was sore, and she tied the pink scarf round it when she went upstairs. The following day, when she was answering a knock at the kitchen street door, she was startled to see the collector from Judds', as the boy who had brought potatoes turned away.
"You didn't expect to see me, miss," he said with a grin, as Fanny changed colour. She felt too poorly, too much upset by the sight of the man to reply. "Judds don't like this sort of thing," he said, after a pause. "Customers moving away and never giving us notice is against the rules. Now for the money," he added.
"I can't pay you to-day," said Fanny, thinking of the new frock that had been sent home the previous evening from Mrs. Scott.
"Then you know what the consequence will be, miss. I shall have to send the inspector to call upon you," said the man.