nurse.

"Please, Aunt Jane," said Iris, as they approached the door; "may I go
into Diana's room by myself? I don't want anyone to be with me when I
see her."

"You may have it your way, Iris," said Aunt Jane. "I interfered once,
and I believe I did wrong; now you shall have it your own way."

"Thank you, Aunt Jane," answered Iris. She scarcely looked at her
aunt; all her thoughts were centered on the mission which she had
taken in hand. When the carriage drew up at the humble door, the
child ran straight into the house.

"Who may you be, little miss?" said Bessie Darling, who had never seen
her before.

"I am the sister of Diana; I am a mother to the others," said Iris.

"Sakes alive!" exclaimed the woman. "You a mother? Why, you poor
little mite, you look as if you wanted a deal of mothering yourself."

"Please tell me what room my sister is in," said Iris, removing her
hat as she spoke.

Bessie Darling stared at her for a moment, then she pointed to a door.
Iris turned the handle and entered the room.

It was a hot day, and the window was wide open; a green blind was down
to keep out the glare of the sun; there was a quantity of ice in a
great pail in one corner of the room, and, as Iris softly entered,
Fortune was in the act of putting a fresh cold cloth on the sick
child's forehead.

Little Diana was murmuring her ceaseless refrain:

"You'll never know fear,
Any more, little dear.
Good-by."

"Why, Diana!" said Iris.

Iris's voice was quite fresh. It had a different note in it from all
the voices which for weeks had sounded in little Diana's ears. She was
lying in a partial stupor, but now she opened her eyes very wide.

"Iris," she said; "Iris." And a smile broke all over her face.

Iris ran up to the bedside. She was always quiet in her manner; great
excitement only accentuated her quiet. She knelt down at once by the
sick child, and took both her hot hands in hers.

"Darling," she said, "I am your little mother, and I have come back to
you."

"That's beautiful," answered Diana. She uttered a very deep sigh. She
had been tossing restlessly about, but now her hot hands lay quiet in
Iris'.

As to Fortune, she was so amazed that she did not utter a word.

"Go to sleep, Di," said Iris, in a voice of authority; "I am your
little mother, and I wish you to go to sleep."

"It's awfu' nice to be mothered again," said Diana. She opened her
eyes languidly, fixed them on Iris, smile