and till medical assistance was sent from London, they had the
whole town on their hands, and for nearly a week lived without a
night's rest.

The care of the sick was a still greater difficulty. Though Aubrey was
never in danger, and Dr. Spencer's promise of the effects of
'intelligent nursing' was fully realized, Ethel and Mary were so
occupied by him, that it was a fearful thing to guess how it must fare
with those households where the greater number were laid low, and in
want of all the comforts that could do little.

The clergy worked to the utmost; and a letter of Mr. Wilmot's obtained
the assistance of two ladies from a nursing sisterhood, who not only
worked incredible wonders with their own hands among the poor, but made
efficient nurses of rough girls and stupid old women. Dr. May, who had
at first, in his distrust of innovation, been averse to the
importation--as likely to have no effect but putting nonsense into
girls' heads, and worrying the sick poor--was so entirely conquered,
that he took off his hat to them across the street, importuned them to
drink tea with his daughters, and never came home without dilating on
their merits for the few minutes that intervened between his satisfying
himself about Aubrey and dropping asleep in his chair. The only
counter demonstration he reserved to himself was that he always called
them 'Miss What-d'ye-call-her,' and 'Those gems of women,' instead of
Sister Katherine and Sister Frances.

CHAPTER II

Good words are silver, but good deeds are gold.--Cecil and Mary

'It has been a very good day, papa; he has enjoyed all his meals,
indeed was quite ravenous. He is asleep now, and looks as comfortable
as possible,' said Ethel, five weeks after Aubrey's illness had begun.

'Thank God for that, and all His mercy to us, Ethel;' and the long
sigh, the kiss, and dewy eyes, would have told her that there had been
more to exhaust him than his twelve hours' toil, even had she not
partly known what weighed him down.

'Poor things!' she said.

'Both gone, Ethel, both! both!' and as he entered the drawing-room, he
threw himself back in his chair, and gasped with the long-restrained
feeling.

'Both!' she exclaimed. 'You don't mean that Leonard--'

'No, Ethel, his mother! Poor children, poor children!'

'Mrs. Ward! I thought she had only been taken ill yesterday evening.'

'She only then gave way--but she never had any constitution--she was
done up with nurs