"fairy mother," as she called herself, would do very little for him. She
did not care. She had pretended to be kind, and sweet, and good when any
one was near at hand to see her, but when they had been alone in the
train she had taken no notice of Duncan, except to scold him, and tell
him he was shamming. This new mother was a poor substitute for the old
one, who had nursed any of them day and night when they had been ill,
with gentle, untiring care, although she was strict, and would, have
them do all sorts of things that Elsie did not like when they were
strong and well.

The girl Meg stayed with them for some time longer; but Duncan seemed to
lie so quietly, that after a while she said she would go back, if Elsie
didn't feel so timid now. The little fellow seemed better, and she did
not think he would make any more disturbance that night. The poor
creature was tired out with a hard day's work, and could ill spare her
rest. She was ignorant, too, and did not know that this quiet that had
fallen upon the child was not the healthful peace leading to recovery,
but only the exhaustion after the terrible frenzy the poor little
disordered brain had passed through.

Still it was a merciful peace, for Elsie's fears grew fainter as he lay
there so quietly, and at last she fell asleep, thinking that he too was
sleeping.

She was awakened by Meg's presence. There was a glimmering of light in
the room, but so little of it that she was astonished to find how late
it was--past seven o'clock.

"I don't so very well like the look o' the bairn," she said, surveying
him carefully. "It strikes me you won't find it an easy matter to get
him dressed. Here, Duncan, are you ready for something to eat now?" she
cried, bending over him, and raising her voice.

But the child did not answer. He lay there as motionless as though he
had been carved out of stone, scarcely moving an eyelid at the sound of
Meg's words.

Elsie jumped up, and began dressing herself quickly.

"I'll go myself and tell them how ill he is," she said, "and ask them to
send him to the hospital where they cured you, and I'll go with him."

Meg said nothing, but she knew very well that this last, at any rate,
was quite out of the question.

"You'd better go straight down into the shop if you want to speak to the
master," she said, as she left the room.

Elsie found her way down the long flights of dark stairs as soon as she
was dressed. She pushed open the door l