“Very badly?”

“Yes—yes—yes!”

Greta remained sitting where she was, shivering violently, as a little animal shivers when it scents danger. At last she rose.

“I am going,” she said in a despairing voice. At the doorway she turned.

“If Miss Naylor shall ask me where you are, Chris, I shall be telling her a story.”

Christian started.

“I forgot that—O Greta, I am sorry! I will go instead.”

Greta took another step—a quick one.

“I shall die if I stay here alone,” she said; “I can tell her that you are in bed; you must go to bed here, Chris, so it shall be true after all.”

Christian threw her arms about her.