r when you are a
little better. You must keep very quiet now, and not talk."

"But--granny--and father?" faltered Mona. "I _must_ know--I can't rest--
till--I do."

For a moment the Nurse hesitated. It was very difficult to know what to
do for the best. "She will only fret and worry if I don't tell her,
and imagine things worse than they are," she thought to herself.

"Your father is home, and safe and well. You shall see him soon.
Your poor granny is safe, too, dear, and well. So well, she will never
suffer any more."

"They--let her--die----"

"No one let her die, dear. She had died in her sleep before the fire
broke out. She was mercifully spared that--and isn't that something to be
thankful for, Mona? There, there, don't cry, dear. You mustn't cry, or
you will be ill again, and, for your father's and mother's sake, you must
try and get well. Your father wants you home to take care of him until
your mother can come. Think of him, dear, and how badly he needs you, and
try your best to get better. He is longing to come to see you."

Mercifully for Mona, she was too weak to weep much, or even to think,
and before very long she had sunk into an exhausted sleep.
Mercifully, too, perhaps, in the horror of her awakening, that terrible
night, and the distracting hours that followed, it never entered her head
that it was she who had brought about the disaster. It was not till later
that that dreadful truth came home to her, to be repented of through years
of bitter regret.

The next day her father came to see her, and a few days after that she was
carried into the adjoining ward and put into the bed next to her mother.

That was a great step forward. For the first time a ray of sunshine
penetrated the heavy cloud of sorrow which had overshadowed them all.

"Keep them both as cheerful as possible," the doctor had said, "and don't
let them dwell on the tragedy if you can help it." So every day a visitor
came to see them--Miss Grace Lester, Mrs. Row, and Patty, Millie Higgins,
and Philippa--and as they all brought flowers and fruit, the little ward
became a perfect garden, gay with bright colours and sweet scents.

Miss Grace brought a book for Mona, and a soft, warm shawl for Lucy.
They were delighted. "And please, Miss," said Lucy, "may I give you my
best wishes for your happiness? We heard you were going to be married
before so very long."

Grace Lester blushed prettily. "Yes, but not till next