At the moment, even this promise failed in appealing to Beth. She
desired rabbit more than anything else in the world.

"Won't you please try some gruel, dear? Won't you, to please me?"

"I'll--I'll try, but I don't believe I can swallow a bit of the nasty
stuff. I want rabbit."

Mrs. Davenport hurried away to get the gruel.

Left to herself, Beth continued to cry.

"I don't believe God cares for me, or He'd have sent me a rabbit. I
asked Him last night when I prayed. Miss Smith"--her Sunday-school.
teacher--"says God always answers prayer if it is good for one, and I'm
sure rabbit is good for me."

The tears came a little faster.

"She says, though, one must ask awfully hard. Perhaps I don't ask hard
enough. I'll ask again."

Beth folded her hands and closed her eyes.

"Dear God, I can't eat gruel any more. I'll die if I have to eat
gruel, and I don't want to die. I want rabbit."

It would seem that the days of miracles had not passed; for even while
she prayed, she felt two paws rest on her cot. She opened her eyes and
there was Duke waiting impatiently for her to notice him. She could
hardly believe her eyes, for in his mouth he held a little live rabbit
as if for her to take it. To make sure she was not dreaming, she
stretched forth her hand for the rabbit. Duke let her take it without
offering the least resistance. In fact, he looked at her as much as to
say:

"I heard them say that my little mistress wanted a rabbit. I was bound
she should have a rabbit, and here it is."

Mrs. Davenport entered the room. "Here is your broth, dear."

"Take it away," cried Beth exultingly. "I'm going to have a rabbit.
God sent Duke to bring me one. Wasn't he good not to eat it
himself--he always used to eat them when he caught them, and God was so
good to me, too."

The speech appeared a little ambiguous to Mrs. Davenport, but it was
all very plain to the child.

Never did a stew seem more delicious to any one than did that rabbit
stew to Beth. In fact, it proved a turning point with her, the fever
subsiding thereafter very rapidly.

CHAPTER XIV

The Rescue

With the elasticity of childhood, Beth grew well rapidly, and was once
more her mischievous self.

One evening about the middle of May, Mr. and Mrs. Davenport and Marian
went up the river a short distance to a party, and invited the Gordons
to drive with them.

Julia came over to spend the night with Beth, and Mrs. Davenport