"Uncle Duncan thinks she is better, but I can't see any change in her," answered Marion, rather pettishly. She had been very sorry for Therese at first, but latterly she had begun to feel that the sick girl was attracting rather more than her share of interest. "She can swallow and she has grown pale and shuts her eyes, and Uncle Duncan says they are all good signs. I don't believe but that she might be roused if Uncle Duncan would let anybody try, but he won't."
"Of course he knows best," said Kitty. "Oh, I do hope she will get well."
"I'm sure I hope she will, for it isn't very convenient having her sick at our house so long," returned Marion. And then, feeling that this was not a very amiable speech, she added, hastily, "Of course I don't mind it myself, but it makes so much more work for Aunt Baby."
"Of course mamma will take her home as soon as Dr. Campbell thinks she can be moved safely," said Kitty. She turned away as she spoke, and Marion, as usual, began to wish her words unsaid.
If she had considered her words as much before she spoke as she did afterward, she would have saved herself and other people a great deal of trouble.
"And now what do you wish most to hear about?" asked Mrs. Campbell as soon as she had found a seat between the folding-doors where she could see everybody. There was a short silence, and then one of the little girls said, "Everything, please."
"But I can't tell everything at once, you know," said Mrs. Campbell, smiling. "Where shall I begin?"
"With little Rachel, please, Mrs. Campbell," said Lizzy Gates, who was apt to be the spokesman wherever she was, not from any particular forwardness, but because, as she expressed it, she "could never see anything waiting to be done without trying to do it." "Please to tell the girls the story you told me the other day up at your house about how Dr. Campbell found Rachel in the first place."
"Very well; I suppose I may as well begin there as anywhere. If I do not tell you what you wish to know, you must ask questions."
I shall not attempt to give the substance of Mrs. Campbell's little lecture, interesting as it was. When she came to a conclusion, there was a general cry of—