228 WINNIE CORSELLIS; OR, DEATH IN THE POT.

«She never owns to any thing, and is always
bright with me and the children; but it is an
effort to keep cheerful, and I can see that she is
very anxious.”

“No wonder, but still I don’t fancy that would
quite account for the change in her. The children
are right enough, but neither you nor Winnie are
up to the mark.”

“We have you to think about.”

“T thought I should find you looking so well ; it
is a disappointment, Jane.”

“ We can’t help it, dear, and indeed neither of us
fret !”

“Poor little woman—you will be more content
now I have been here.”

“ Yes, much more.”

After a little further talk it was time for Mr.
Hammond to leave her, so he mounted and rode
rapidly away, while his wife turned back towards
the farm.

Vi.
“Dra, dear, ain’t it unlucky now ! and him only
left the house half an hour ago,” exclaimed Mrs.
Ramsay, as Winnie came downstairs after Mr.
Hammond’s departure.

“What is unlucky, Mrs. Ramsay ?” she asked,
turning into the kitchen.

“Here’s Mrs. Lowe’s girl brought home ill, and
she, poor soul, frightened out of her wits, not know-
ing what to do nor where to turn.”

‘Her looks like death, that her do, for all the
world as if her was in her coffin,” moaned Mrs.
Lowe, who had run down the road to Mrs. Ramsay
for advice and help. ‘And the chaps as brought
her in the trap just lifted her out and was off again
that quick I’d no time to ask nothing, particular
being put about so.”

“Jfit had only been half an hour ago Mr. Ham-
mond could have seen her,” said Winnie, ‘but he
is gone now. Hadn’t you better send for your own
doctor ?”

“Bless you, miss, he won’t come without a note,
and its welly five mile to the relieving officer’s,
that'll be ten mile, and four more to the doctor’s
afterwards.”

** You'll be to go or send if her’s very bad though,”
put in Mrs. Ramsay ; “Tl step up with you, and
see what I can make of her.”

This was what Mrs. Lowe wanted, she had
great faith in Mrs. Ramsay, even more than in
the doctor, besides it was such a trouble to get
him, and Mrs. Ramsay was close at hand.

“Shall I come ?” said Winnie eagerly.

“No, miss,” replied Mrs. Ramsay, “you stop at
home ; maybe its fever or summat catching. We
old folks don’t take things easy, and I’ve had most
all complaints, so it won’t hurt me.”

Winnie watched the two women up the road,
and as she stood at the garden-gate Mrs. Hammond
returned, and to them in a few minutes came back
Mrs. Ramsay looking very grave.

“ She’s took for death, there ain’t no doubt ; ’m
going to send the cowboy for the doctor. He
won’t be gone long on the brown horse.”

“T thought you said he’d want a note from the
relieving officer,” said Winnie.

“They does most times, but I think he’ll come
to her.”

“ Whatis it 2?” asked Mrs. Hammond ; “do you
know what is the matter with her ?”

Mrs. Ramsay looked at her for a few moments
without speaking ; she was turning over in her
mind whether she had better tell them or not, and
she decided that it was better to speak out.

“T can’t be sure, ma’am, but I’m terrible afeard
that it’s the sickness.”

“ What?” asked Mrs. Hammond, not under-
standing.

But Winnie knew.

‘She means the cholera.”

“That's it, miss. She’s got it in Birmingham,
and they’ve sent her home to die.”

Mrs. Ramsay passed on into the house, and was
presently heard calling for Bill the cowboy, and
when she had started him she came out again to
the ladies.

“JT was going to take up a drop of brandy to the
poor thing, but I won’t go in if you think Id better
not ; I’ve noright to bring it back to you, though I
ain’t afeard.”

“J don’t think you will bring it back to us; my
husband says it is not infectious,’ replied Mrs.
Hammond : “I shall go up too, Winnie; perhaps I
may be of use.”

“But, Jane, the children ?”

“JT am not afraid.”

“Let me go instead.”

“No, certainly not.”

“ Begoing your pardon,” said Mrs. Ramsay, “I
think you’d better both stop at home. You can’t
do no good, ma’am; the poor thing will die for,
certain, and perhaps it would only put her mother
about having a strange lady there.”

There was truth in this, and Mrs. Hammond
recognized it, but Mrs. Ramsay was thinking more
of her lodgers than of Mrs. Lowe when she spoke.
So she went up alone, and the two sisters sitting
up waiting for her return heard the quick beats of a
horse’s hoofs, as the doctor rode by two hours later. |
In another half-hour Mrs. Ramsay came back.

“He were too late, she werejustgoneaforehe come.”

* And was it cholera?”

“Yes, cholera sure enough. The gell were only
took bad this morning, poor thing! to see her she
might have been ill for months.”

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