you think you could shut your
eyes and try to go to sleep now, Susy?"

"Oh, miss, there's a weight on my mind. You can't sleep when you're
ill and like to die, and there's a weight pressing down on you."

"I don't believe you'll die, Susy; and if you've a weight on your
mind, you can tell God about it, you know."

"No, miss, God's awful angry with me."

"He's never angry with us, if we are sorry about things," answered
Marjorie. "He's our Father, and fathers always forgive their children
when they are sorry. If you are sorry, Susy, you can tell God, your
Father, and he'll be sure to forgive you at once."

"I'm sorry enough, miss, but I think Miss Ermie is as bad as me. I'd
never have done it, never, but for Miss Ermie. I think it's mean of
her to keep away from me when I'm ill."

"Ermengarde is not at home, Susy; but if you want her very badly, if
you really want her for anything important, I will write to her, and
she shall come home--I know she will."

"Thank you, Miss Marjorie; I didn't think nothing at all about what I
did when I was well, but now it seems to stay with me day and night,
and I'm sorry I was so spiteful and mean to Miss Nelson. But it wasn't
_my_ fault, miss--no, that it wasn't--that the picture was broke. What
is it, Miss Marjorie? How you start."

"Nothing," said Marjorie; "only perhaps, Susy, you'd rather tell Ermie
the rest; and she _shall_ come back; I promise you that that she
shall come back."

"Thank you, Miss Marjorie; you are real good, and you comfort me
wonderfully when you hold my hands."

"Well, I wish you'd let me put your sheets a little straight; there,
that's better. Now I'm going to turn your pillow. And Susy, do let me
push all that tangled hair out of your eyes. Now I'm going to kneel
here, and you must shut your eyes. I promise you shall see Ermie.
Good-night, Susy; go to sleep."

Miss Nelson waited quietly in the little kitchen downstairs. The
voices in Susy's sickroom ceased to murmur; presently Mrs. Collins
stole softly upstairs. She returned in a few minutes accompanied by
Marjorie. There were tears in the poor woman's eyes.

"My Susy's in a blessed, beautiful sleep!" she exclaimed. "And it's
all owing to this dear little lady; may Heaven reward her! I don't
know how to thank you, Miss Marjorie. Susy hasn't been in a blessed
healthful sleep like that since she broke her leg. It puts heart into
me to see the child looking quiet and peaceful once again. And now