AFTER a sound night's, rest in a chamber in the thatched
roof, in which it seemed the sexton had for some years
been a lodger, but which he had lately deserted for a wife
and a cottage of his own, the child rose early in the morning
and descended to the room where she had supped last night.
As the schoolmaster had already left his bed and gone out,
she bestirred herself to make it neat and comfortable, and
had just finished its arrangement when the kind host
returned.

He thanked her many times, and said that the old dame
who usually did such offices for him had gone to nurse the
little scholar whom he had told her of. The child asked
how he was, and hoped he was better.

"No," rejoined the schoolmaster shaking his head sor-
rowfully, "No better. They even say he is worse."

"I am very sorry for that, sir," said the child.

The poor schoolmaster appeared to be gratified by her
earnest manner, but yet rendered more uneasy by it, for he
added hastily that anxious people often magnified an evil
and thought it greater than it was; "for my part," he said,
in his quiet, patient way, "I hope it's not so. I don't think
he can be worse."

The child asked his leave to prepare breakfast, and her
grandfather coming down stair's, they all three partook of
it together. While the meal was in progress, their host
remarked that the old man seemed much fatigued, and
evidently stood in need of rest.

"If the journey you have before you is a long one," he
said, "and don't press you for one day, you're very wel-
come to pass another night here. I should really be glad if
you would, friend."

He saw that the old man looked at Nell, uncertain
whether to accept or decline his offer; and added,

"I shall be glad to have your young companion with
me for one day. If you can do a charity to a lone man, and
rest yourself at the same time, do so. If you must proceed
upon your journey, I wish you well through it, and will walk
a little way with you before school begins."

"What are we to do, Nell?" said the old man irresolutely,
"say what we're to do, dear."

-181-