But Jessie's only answer was another groan, that frightened her father, and he went to the street door to look for Polly.
She was coming up the street, and ran forward when she saw him.
"Ain't we got everything nice?" she called out before she reached the door; for Jessie had said, again and again, how pleased her father would be when he saw the nice clean kitchen.
"Come in, come in," called Collins. "There's something the matter with Jessie; she's fell downstairs and hurt herself, though I don't see no blood anywhere."
Polly ran through the passage, and was almost as frightened as her father when she saw her sister leaning back in the chair, white, and looking as though she was dead.
"Oh, father, what is it—what is the matter?" she screamed. "Let me fetch Mrs. Brown!" And without waiting for her father to speak, she flew off to fetch the friend who had helped them so much the last week.
Mrs. Brown was just going out for her Saturday marketing, when Polly dashed in, crying—
"Oh, come, Mrs. Brown, come directly to our Jess, she's fell downstairs and killed herself!"
Mrs. Brown did not believe anything so terrible as this had happened; but she could see Polly was very frightened, and without stopping to ask any questions, she set down her basket at once, and hurried away with her.
When they saw Jessie, Mrs. Brown said, "We had better send for the doctor at once, Mr. Collins; but I will lay her down on the couch until he comes."