Fleda obeyed, and watched she could little more the efforts of Barby, who indeed needed no help, with the cold water, the vinegar, and rubbing of the limbs. They were for some time unsuccessful the fit was a severe one, and Fleda was exceedingly terrified before any signs of returning life came to reassure her.
"Now, you go down stairs and keep quiet!" said Barby, when Hugh was fairly restored, and had smiled a faint answer to Fleda's kiss and explanations "Go, Fleda! you aint fit to stand. Go and sit down some place, and I'll be along directly and see how the fire burns. Don't you s'pose Mis' Rossitur could come in, and sit in this easy-chair a spell without hurting herself?"
It occurred to Fleda immediately, that it might do more good than harm to her aunt if her attention were diverted even by another cause of anxiety. She gently summoned her, telling her no more than was necessary to fit her for being Hugh's nurse, and, in a very few minutes, she and Barby were at liberty to attend to other claims upon them. But it sank into her heart, "Hugh will not get over this!" and when she entered the sitting-room, what Mr. Carleton, years before, had said of the wood-flower, was come true in its fullest extent "A storm- wind had beaten it to the ground."
She was able, literally, to do no more than Barby had said sit down and keep herself quiet. Miss Elster was in her briskest mood, flew in and out, made up the fire in the sitting-room, and put on the kettle in the kitchen, which she had been just about doing when called to see Hugh. The much- needed supper of the travellers must be still waited for; but the fire was burning now, the room was cozily warm and bright, and Marion drew up her chair with a look of thoughtful contentment. Fleda felt as if some conjurer had been at work there for the last few hours the room looked so like and felt so unlike itself.
"Are you going to be ill too, Fleda?" said Marion, suddenly.
"You are looking very far from well!"
"I shall have a headache to-morrow," said Fleda, quietly, "I generally know the day beforehand."
"Does it always make you look so?"
"Not always I am somewhat tired."
"Where is my father gone?"
"I don't know. Rolf, dear," said Fleda, bending forward to the little fellow, who was giving expression to some very fidgety impatience "what is the matter? what do you want?"