Esther was a willing, good-natured girl, and she readily agreed to go and ask Sophy to bring some breakfast for Lucy, which Laura seemed to feel certain would cure her head.

It was impossible to wait for the family breakfast. Mrs. Carleton seldom came down till after nine. Mr. Carleton, having to catch an early train, often breakfasted by himself during Miss Wilson's absence. Mrs. Carleton could not endure to breakfast alone, so the children were obliged to wait, and were fast getting into the habit of rising late in consequence, excepting Laura, whose habit of early rising was too strong to be easily broken.

Laura had a drawing in hand, which she wished to finish before Miss Wilson's return, and with this she employed her. self till half-past nine, when the breakfast bell rang, and all the young people, excepting Lucy, attended to the summons.

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'Lucy's head is no better, mamma," said Laura. had her breakfast, but she does not want to get up.”

“I am afraid there is a great deal of temper in all this,” said Mrs. Carleton: "she looked very sulky when I told her to give baby to nurse yesterday. Well, she will lose the croquet party to-day in consequence."

After breakfast, Helen, who had a story book she wished to finish, took possession of Miss Wilson's easy chair in the schoolroom, and soon forgot her sister's headache. Laura, on finding Lucy asleep, went out with Minnie into the grounds as soon as they heard nurse go down with baby. Hitherto no one but Laura and the housemaid had been into Lucy's bedroom. Mrs. Carleton complained to herself bitterly about the absence of Miss Wilson, for conscience told her she ought to go and look at her suffering child. On reaching her dressing room she found the housemaid there, and remembering that Sophy had taken Lucy some breakfast, she asked her, in a tone of anxiety, whether she thought Miss Lucy worse.

"No, ma'am," said Sophy; "it seems as if she had a heavy

cold; and Miss Lucy sleeps so much, it is sure to do her good. She is asleep now."

This information satisfied the selfish mother, and she asked no more questions. So the day wore on till three o'clock, when it was time to prepare for the croquet party, as the carriage was ordered at four.

Laura, after lunch, entered her room in great spirits. Lucy had refused to eat anything; but this refusal had not been spoken of, as Mrs. Carleton asked no questions. She was lying very quiet when Laura entered, and scarcely noticing her step-sister, ran across the room, and opening a wardrobe, took out a pretty silk dress, and a straw hat trimmed with ribbon and a feather to match, which she laid on the bed. Then she placed the pretty kid boots, those essentials to croquet, on the floor near her dress, unconscious that Lucy's tearful eyes were watching every movement. A suppressed sob from the bed caused her to look at Lucy; she was weeping silently.

Laura was at her side in a moment-" What is the matter, dear Lucy-are you feeling worse?"

"No," she replied; "but I've been so lonely all the morning; and now you, and mamma, and the rest are going out, I shall be alone till eight or nine o'clock."

As Lucy spoke, a struggle arose in Laura's heart. Lucy's wish for companionship, and her gentle way of speaking, surprised her. In general, Lucy was unsociable and almost uncouth in her manner. "Poor Lucy," she thought, "what can have changed her so?"

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"Shall I stay at home with you, Lucy?" The bright look at these words in those often sullen eyes Laura never forgot. 'Oh, Laura, if you would!—but no, I cannot ask you; it would be such a dreadful disappointment to you to miss this croquet party. No, it's too much to ask-you can't do it."

"Dear Lucy, yes I can," said Laura, to whose memory her dear mother's teachings had returned: "I'll go and ask mamma at once if I may stay with you."

Mrs. Carleton listened to the unselfish request with astonishment, but she merely said, "I suppose Lucy asked you to stay with her it is very selfish of her."

“No, mamma, I don't think it is selfishness, for she is really very poorly."

"Oh well, child, do as you like," and as Laura thanked her and hastened away, she said to herself, "What a queer girl that is! she seems to take no pleasure in the enjoyments of young people."

And yet poor Laura's heart was so full at the terrible disappointment which she had proposed for herself, that, while ascending the stairs, the tears would come, but she checked them as she approached Lucy's bed, and said, gently, “I'm going to stay at home with you, Lucy."

"Oh, I'm so glad! thank you, dear Laura ;" and the look, so unusually bright, again surprised Laura, as well as the kind, loving tone of the words.

Laura seated herself with a book.

"Shall I read to you, Lucy?" she said.

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“No, Laura dear, thank you;" and then Laura remarked the thick voice in which Lucy spoke, but in a few moments she was again asleep.

After reading for a time, Laura rose quietly and put away the pretty hat and dress, that they might not remind her of the pleasure she had lost, and then sat and watched Lucy. She heard the carriage drive away with the rest of the party, but she did not move till Sophy came to call her to tea.

"Miss Lucy is very restless," whispered Laura; “she has been asking for water so many times."

"I'll stay with her, Miss Laura," said Sophy; but as the young lady left the room the housemaid approached Lucy's bed, and stood looking at the flushed cheeks and restless movements with a strange dread in her heart.

CHAPTER VI.

LUCY'S TESTIMONY.

JAURA, who wanted to finish the book which Helen had selfishly monopolised all the morning, took it with her to read while at tea alone.

She was quite absorbed in one of Miss Young's sweet stories, when she became conscious of some confusion at the end of the gallery, and Sophy's voice in pleading tones"Miss Lucy, you must not go down-stairs, indeed you must not."

"Where's Laura and mamma? I will go and and find them," and Lucy's voice, though thick, became, a scream, as, with a struggle, she threw off Sophy's hands and rushed to the stairs, just as Laura, pale and trembling, made her appearance.

A hasty step, and the next moment Mr. Carleton had caught the poor delirious girl in his arms, and in great surprise carried her to her bed, followed by Sophy and Laura. His presence calmed Lucy, and as she looked in his face the wild look passed from her eyes. "Oh, my head, my head!" she cried, and sunk back in a stupor.

"How long has this been going on?" he asked, sternly.

"Miss Lucy has been complaining ever since yesterday

afternoon, sir, but she's never been like this before."

"Does your mistress know?"

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"She knows Miss Lucy is not well, sir, because she gave Miss Laura permission to stay at home with her when she complained of being lonely."

"Come here, darling: don't look so white-there's no danger now," said her father; and he put his arm round his child and pressed her to him, thanking God for her unselfish spirit.

At this moment an exclamation of sudden fear caused them to look at the open door.

Janet, in the nursery, had heard the screams, and leaving her sleeping charge with Esther, she had reached the door of the sick chamber; but one look at the bed made her pause at the threshold.

"Oh, sir! oh, Mr. Carleton! don't you know what's the matter. Come away from this room, and send for the doctor: —and my darling here too! Oh, Miss Laura, come out of the room directly:"

"What's the matter, nurse?"

"Come out in the corridor, sir, and I'll tell you. I daren't come in because of my baby; and bring Miss Laura with you.” In a moment they stood by nurse in the gallery.

"That is scarlet fever, sir; I'm sure of it," she said. "I know the symptoms too well.”

Janet's first words had confirmed Sophy's fears. She did not wait to hear more, but rushed down-stairs at once, and filled the servants' offices with consternation by stating what was the matter with Miss Lucy, and sending one of the men for the doctor.

While Janet stood outside talking with her master, a low voice from the bed exclaimed,

"Please, papa, let Laura stay with me."

Laura slipped her arm from her father's, and returned to the bedside: "Yes, dear Lucy," she said, "I'll stay with you." "It can't hurt me more than I'm hurt already," she reasoned to herself, "and I could not leave her to servants."