The Story Book Girls

th

ting ready in time for dinner. Mabel and Elma regained high spiri

d attained great brilliance as a medical student, and now worked at pathology in order to qualify as a specialist. His studie

bel. "Why, I can't think

ere's Cuthber

minds so fully, that no one had really begu

rs. Leighton in a puzzled way. "Didn't h

the flower show. While the meal was in progress, Mr. Maclean appeared quietly in the room. He had prepared a little speech for Mrs. Leighton, but it died on his lips as he saw h

he wouldn't let me bring him in unt

him i

standing all his life in their dining-room saying tha

n his table napkin i

h me and see him, Lucy

girls. On no occasion had Mr. Leight

must be dead

eighton, with a white

om Mr. Maclean, and was at that moment assisti

oken a rib or two. You needn't look scared. I shall all

ittle gasp. Her face looked

hbert,"

being anxious about me. Maclean, you are a bit

in the dining-room with Jean hanging

ed manner. "You'll frighten mother more

s death yourself,

e. She longed to go and see the effect for her

said in an important manner. "I

bert will die,

n her fiercely. "Why do yo

l die, Betty, he wil

and every minute I'm getting nearer it. Harry says it's just a k

Betty, "Cuthber

o be bad, I can't help it," said El

white face and some blankets with which he had been padded into a carriage, after the accident which had thrown him from his bicycle and broken three ribs, Mabel turned and went upstairs. She put everything out of the way for his b

ng out as they carried him in, and there was the bed already

hbert. "I promote you to

tale of the navy men who went about with broken ones, and rather enjoyed the experi

andages. The doctor wants one good big one,

He was very angry with Betty and Jean. "Any one can sit crying

ty, who had rather admired the s

uld not help sm

omed to them. I should really much rather you would behav

in being the eldest. One knew evidently what to do in an emergency. The truth was that Mabel's temperament was so nicely balanced that she could act, as well as think, with pro

me," Jean exclaimed in a tragic voi

yours. And she got Cuthbert's bed ready. She really is the leader of

went up, and joined in the dining-room in coffee

jury might be, had given him a great shock. His children were so deeply a part of his life, their welfare of so much more consequence than his own, that it seemed dreadful to him that his splendid manly young son had been suddenly hurt--perhaps beyond rem

nted it, it seemed to Elma, in the tone of a man who thought very little of the reckless way in which Cuthbert

d rushed down to her. Cuthbert had gripped the saddle, and was putting some strength into his brakes, and actually reaching nearly a full stop, wh

straight at

re you?"

er. "I was somewhere about," he

ion. She greatly admired Mr. Maclean, and resented the manner of Mabel'

seemed a lit

rowled. "Cuthbert was the man

provokingly at Mr. Maclean. In some way she made Elma believe

quent of you," Elma said to Mr

om the brow of Mr. Leighton, nor restored the placidity which with Mrs. Leighton w

up and tell Cuth

t mustn't laugh," said

y," said

of courage that afternoon, and the certainty that Mabel and Jean were both sensibly fast asleep in the next room. She took Betty into her own bed and petted her like a baby. On windy nights Betty never could sleep, and had always gone to Elma like a chicken to its mother

came in. The moon shone on her white hair, and m

an for talking in bed," she said

and dreadful we feel. We never thought before of Cuthbert's dying. And Betty

to cry gen

se all crying," said Mrs. Leighton;

asked Elma tearfully, yet hopefully

the tones of her mother's voice, and the quiet wonderful peace that entered

iness, would it not? We are here to get what Cuthbert calls a few kicks now and again, to suffer a little, above all to remember that our father or our mother isn't the only loving parent we possess. What is the use of being taugh

y, "there seems nothing

stroked Betty'

little piece of

ld," sa

sleep in this household--

--

d not hel

t you notice? Not one of my girls asked a singl

fun

bs became

o she was?" ask

chimed

ton. She rose and moved towards the door. "But

ty sat up dr

d don't be very ungrateful for all the happiness you've known,

pro

draw the door qu

y Books," whispered Mrs. Leig