up the gravel path and rang the
bell. Then the old woman put her head out of the window and asked what
he wanted. Christie did not quite know what to say, so he came out at
once with the great fear which was haunting him.

"Please, ma'am, is any one dead?" he asked.

"Dead? No!" said the old woman, quickly. "What do you want to know for?"

"Please, could I speak to little Miss Mabel?" asked Christie, timidly.

"No, bless you," said the old woman, "not unless you'd like a walk
across the sea; she's in France by now."

"In France!" repeated Christie, with a bewildered air.

"Yes," said the old woman, "they've all gone abroad for the summer;" and
then she shut the window in a decided manner, as much as to say, "And
that's all I shall tell you about it."

Christie stood for a few minutes in the pretty garden before he moved
away. He was very disappointed; he had so hoped to have seen his little
friends, and now they were gone. They were far away in France. That was
a long way off, Christie felt sure, and perhaps he would never see them
again.

He walked slowly down the dusty road. He felt very lonely this
afternoon, very lonely and forsaken. His mother was gone; old Treffy was
gone! the lady was gone! and now the children were gone also! He had no
one to cheer him or to comfort him; so he dragged the old organ wearily
down the hot streets. He had not heart enough to play, he was very tired
and worn out; yet he knew not where to go to rest. He had not even the
old attic to call his home. But the pavement was so hot to his feet, and
the sun was so scorching, that Christie determined to return to the
dismal court, and to try to find a quiet corner in the great
lodging-room.

But when he opened the door he was greeted by a cloud of dust; and the
landlady called out to him to take himself off, she could not do with
him loitering about at that time of day. So Christie turned out again,
very heart-sore and disconsolate; and, going into a quiet street, he
sheltered for some time from the hot sun under a high wall which made a
little shadow across the pavement.

Christie was almost too hot and tired even to be unhappy, and yet every
now and then he shivered, and crept into the sunshine to be warmed
again. He had a strange, sharp pain in his head, which made him feel
very bewildered and uncomfortable. He did not know what was the matter
with him, and sometimes he got up and tried to play for a little time,
but he was so s