“Oh, don’t!” said Sibyl. “I—I can’t bear it! I saw Sylvia and Hetty last night. I can’t bear it!”
“You are a little goose, Sibyl! It’s my opinion you are not well. You must cling to me, dear, and I will pull you through—see if I don’t.”
As Fanny took her usual place at the breakfast-table Susie Rushworth said to her, “You really are kind to that poor little Sibyl, Fan. After all, we must have been a little hard on her last night. She certainly shows the greatest distress and affection for poor dear Betty.”
“I said she was a nice child. I shouldn’t be likely to propose her for the club if she were not,” said Fanny.
Susie said nothing more. All the girls were dull, grave, distressed. The twins were nowhere to be seen. Betty’s sweet face, Betty’s sparkling eyes, Betty’s gay laugh, were conspicuous by their absence. Miss Symes did not appear at all.
When breakfast was over, and the brief morning prayers had been gone through by Mr. Fairfax—for these prayers were not said in the chapel—Mrs. Haddo rose and faced the school. “Girls,” she said, “I wish to let you all know that one of your number—one exceedingly dear to us all—is lying now at the point of death. Whether God will spare her or not depends altogether on her mind being given a certain measure of relief. I need not tell you her name, for you all know it, and I believe you are all extremely grieved at what has occurred. It is impossible for any of you to help her at this moment except by being extra quiet, and by praying to God to be good to her and her two little sisters. I propose, therefore, to make a complete alteration in the arrangements of to-day. I am going to send the whole of the upper school—with the exception of the members of the Speciality Club—to London by train. Two of the teachers, Mademoiselle and Miss Oxley, will accompany you. You will all be driven to the station, and win return to-night—having, I hope, enjoyed a pleasant day. By that time there may be good news to greet you. No lessons to-day for any of the upper school; so, girls, go at once and get ready.”
All the girls began now to leave the great hall, with the exception of the Specialities and Sibyl Ray.
“Go, Sibyl!” said Fanny. “What are you lingering for?”
“Yes, Sibyl, be quick; don’t delay!” said Mrs. Haddo, speaking rather sharply. “You will all be back in time to-night to hear the latest report of dear Betty, and we trust we may have good news to tell you.”