began to fear she had inadvertently offended her. "I have, perhaps,"
said she to herself, "done something to vex her: I am sure, if I knew I
had, I would ask her a thousand pardons, for I cannot live without
loving her."

While she was thus reflecting, one of Mrs. Adams's maids came out of the
house; when poor Marian stopped her, and asked her where Miss Bella was.
"Miss Bella!" replied the woman, "she is ill of the small-pox; so ill,
indeed, that there are no hopes of her recovery!" Poor Marian was all
distraction, and, without considering what she did, flew up stairs and
burst into Mrs. Adams's room, imploring, on her knees, that she might be
permitted to see her dear Miss Bella.

Mrs. Adams would have stopped Marian; but the door being half open, she
flew to her bedside like an arrow out of a bow. Poor Bella was in a
violent fever, alone, and very low spirited; for all her little
companions had forsaken her. Marian, drowned in tears, seized hold of
Bella's hand, squeezed it in hers, and kissed it. "Ah! my dear Miss,"
said she "is it in this condition I find you! but you must not die; what
would then become of me? I will watch over you, and serve you: shall I,
my dear Miss Bella?"

Miss Bella, squeezing Marian's hand, signified to her, that staying with
her would do her a great favour. And the little maid, with Mrs. Adams's
consent, became Bella's nurse, which she performed the part of to
admiration. She had a small bed made up for her, close beside her little
sick friend, whom she never left for a moment. If the slightest sigh
escaped Bella, Marian was up in an instant to know what she wanted, and
gave her, with her own hands, all her medicines.

This grateful girl did every thing she could to amuse her friend. She
ransacked Mrs. Adams's library for books that had pictures in them,
which she would show to Bella; and during the time that her eyes were
darkened by her disorder, which was for near a week, Marian exerted
herself to the utmost to divert her. When Bella grew impatient at the
want of sight, Marian told her stories of what happened in the village;
and as she had made a good use of her schoolmaster's instructions, she
read whatever she thought would be amusing and diverting to her.

Thus Marian was not only her nurse, but philosopher also; for she would
sometimes say to her, "God Almighty will have pity upon you, as you have
had pity on me. Will you let me sing a pretty song to divert you?" Bella
had on