"I was thinking, " said Fleda, looking up again at the stars, which shone with no purer ray than those grave eyes sent back to them, "I was thinking of being ready to die."
The words, and the calm thoughtful manner in which they were said, thrilled upon Mr. Carleton with a disagreeable shock.
"How came you to think of such a thing?" said he, lightly.
"I don't know," said Fleda, still looking at the stars," I suppose I was thinking "
"What?" said Mr. Carleton, inexpressibly curious to get at the workings of the child's mind, which was not easy, for Fleda was never very forward to talk of herself; "what were you thinking? I want to know how you could get such a thing into your head."
"It wasn't very strange," said Fleda. "The stars made me think of heaven, and grandpa's being there, and then I thought how he was ready to go there, and that made him ready to die "
"I wouldn't think of such things, Elfie," said Mr. Carleton, after a few minutes.
"Why not, Sir?" said Fleda, quickly.
"I don't think they are good for you."
"But, Mr. Carleton," said Fleda, gently, "if I don't think about it, how shall I ever be ready to die?"