Taken or left

by Mrs. O. F. Walton

"Yes, Jem," she said, "now that he's had his supper, you had best let him read it."

Bagot handed me a telegram, and I read as follows: "Salome is very ill indeed, and cries for you. Can you be spared to come and see her?"

I sat looking at it for a long time without speaking.

Then Bagot said, "Poor lad, I'm awful sorry for you, I am; but cheer up—maybe she'll be better soon."

"Can I go, do you think, Bagot?" I said.

"Yes, I'm sure you may," he said. "Run over with the letter to the house, and ask to speak a word with our lady. They're all sitting up with the child."

I went as he advised me, and the cook gave me a jug of hot water to carry, which was wanted upstairs, and I took it as quietly as I could into the sickroom.

I TOOK IT AS QUIETLY AS I COULD INTO THE SICK-ROOM.

Master Reggie was in great pain, gasping for breath, and the doctor and his mother and the nurse were standing round him, doing all they could to help him. He saw me come in, and smiled, and tried to speak, but I could not tell what he said.