tter inquired gently.

Like a suspicious animal Julie stiffened jealously.

"I'll not hurt him," Mrs. McGregor hastened to say, not taking offense
at the other's attitude. "I just want to raise him up so he can breathe
better." Then she added reassuringly, "I'd not give up if I were you.
You must keep on fighting to the very last minute. There is much we can
do yet to make him comfortable."

"What?"

"We can bathe him a little for one thing, if you would heat some
water."

Dumbly Julie turned to obey.

"I've a big family of my own," went on Mrs. McGregor in matter-of-fact
fashion, "and I've seen so many children pull through when they looked
fit to die that I've learned never to quit hoping. You'll get nowhere
in a fight if you haven't courage."

"I had courage enough at first," whispered the baby's mother in a
shaking voice, "but I've lost my nerve now. I'm frightened--and--and
tired."

Tears came into her eyes.

"Of course you are," came with quick sympathy from Mrs. McGregor. "We
all are apt to lose our nerve when we are worn out. I don't wonder
you're tired. You've had no sleep day or night, I'll be bound."

"Not much. The neighbors were kind about offering but somehow I
couldn't leave Joey with 'em. Besides, how can you sleep when you are
worried half out of your mind?"

"I know! I know!" nodded the other woman. "Still you can't go on
forever without rest. Next you know you will be down sick yourself and
then where will your baby be--to say nothing of your other children. A
mother has got to think ahead. Now listen. Would you trust me to watch
the baby while you curled up on the sofa and got a wink or two of
sleep? I'll promise to call you should there be an atom of change. Do
now! Be a sensible woman. And how would you feel about my giving the
little chap a drop of medicine? A Scotch doctor in the old country once
gave me a prescription that I've tried on both Timmie and Martin and it
did 'em worlds of good at a time just like this. It might do nothing
for your child, mind. I'm not promising it would. Still, it couldn't
hurt him and it might cure."

Julie's dulled mind caught the final word. _Cure!_ Alas, she had given
up hope that anything in the world could do that. The reaction that
came with the suggestion was so wonderful that it left her speechless.

"Now see here," burst out Mrs. McGregor misinterpreting her silence,
"use your common sense. Do I look as if I had come to poison your baby?
W