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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