The Oriel Window

morning, and his face was very grave; but its expression altered at once when he caught sight of Chrissie. Though Stern by name, he was very far from stern by nature, and he was very fond

, she was beginning to doubt if after all he was going to get better. Her mother had scarcely left him for an instant; she had been

f course, been necessary to carry out some of the other furniture and rearrange things a little. This would not disturb Ferdy, Mr. Stern said, but Ferdy's hea

to Whittingham by a mid-day train, and no

"how ill you look! Have you been w

ering as she spoke. "There was nothing I

s Lilly?" ask

nd we were going to be so happy. Oh," she cried, as if she could keep back the misery no lon

very, very s

day or two you will be wanted very much indeed, and you must b

though they still caught her breath a li

to get better? I thought-I thought-mamma kept shut up in the room, and n

stairs, and then into the library. There

think Ferdy will be better in a day or two, but we cannot say anything yet about his getting well. Your father has gone to Whittingham to see one of the best doctors, and ask him to come down here to-night or to-morrow t

him, but nothing seems very bad compared with if he was going to-" she stopped short, and again she grew very white. "Oh, you are sure he isn'

n patted

n him since this

shook h

carried him in

ike to see h

I'll bathe my eyes, so that he won't find out

s usual as you can. I will go back for a moment and

sie was tapping very softly a

," said

range it all was! She would scarcely have known the pretty little sitting-room: Ferdy's bed with a screen round it standing out at one side of the curiously shaped window,

r, howeve

rather hoarse little voic

in her throat that was begin

ad and he was very pale. "Kiss me," he said again, and as she stooped down to do so, without speaking, "Chrissie," he whispered, "I

d not see him, that Mr. Stern was wat

anaged to put a cheerful sound. "I know, Ferdy darling. But you're

ay it'll be better to-morrow. But that won't make it rig

did so her glance fell on the window, one side of which looked to the west. She and Ferdy had often watched the sunset from there. It was too early

and you can see it lovelily the way you're lying. Aren't you awfully glad you're

ve my head, only the least bit, but I can see out. Yes, Chrissie, I can see the

coming forward. "But you must wait till

tay in bed all to-

eon was coming to see him, so that the sudden sight of a stranger should not startle the little fellow. "No

d, "Don't mind about its being your birthday, darli

een killed," said Ferdy

retty," Chrissie went on cheerfully. "If you have to stay

ace grew deci

e as she passed him, and by the way mamma kissed h

. She did not hear the sound of wheels driving up to the house soon after she had gone to bed, and this was a good thing, for she would have guessed they were

y deeply engaged, for she was having a curious and very interesting dream. She had forgotten

d he hated being turned round and having his backbone poked at, as he told Chrissie, though he couldn't exactly say that it hurt him. And, worst of all, when he asked if he might get up "to-morrow" the strange doctor "put him off" in what Ferdy thought a silly sort of way. He would much rather have been told right out,

sly enough, that was the great doctor's name, though by rights, as he was a very cl

still he was pretty comfortable, and he began to feel a little sleepy again; and just as he was going to ask his mother what they were doing with the sofa, everything went out of his head, and he was of

daylight beginning to come, and he looked towards where the window was in his own little room; but eve

wn. It was mamma. Poor mamma, how uncomfortable for her not to be properly in bed! Why was she lying there? He hoped she was asleep, and yet-he almost hoped she wasn't, or at least that she would awake just for a minute, for he was thirsty and hot, and the fidgety feeling that he couldn't keep still was b

dear? Did y

dear? Did y

bed, and why is there a light in t

my place. You see we thought you might be thirsty i

id Ferdy. "I'd lik

? There is some nice

eyes bri

at best, but I didn'

, so Ferdy called it, at one side. He didn't need to sit

ou another spoonful of the medicine. It is not disagreea

something about birds. He lay with his eyes shut thinking about it for a few minutes, till a sound close to him made him open them and look round. It was morning,

" said Ferdy to himself, though he spoke aloud witho

and, looking towards her, Ferdy saw Flowers, already dressed and with a

ted a moment or tw

t think I want to get up even if I might. I want Chrissi

I daresay she's tired, poor dear, and she may sleep late this morning; perhaps you will

ilk, but I can't go to sleep again; I'v

or him, she could scarcely help smiling a little. She gave him the mi

Master Ferdy?" sh

all queer. I believe all my bones have got put w

s she scarcely knew what to say, and she was glad to turn away and bu

was all so very like yesterday morning, all "except me," thought Ferdy, so terribly like his birthday morning, when he had been so happy, oh! so happy, that it had been difficult to believe in unhappiness anywhere. And yet even then he had though

e to be a cripple? Was it for fear of that that the doctor would not let him get up? Ferdy moved his legs about a very little; they d

mother; she looked so pale and tired, and it might make her cry if he spoke about being a cripple. He thought he might ask Chrissie, perhaps. She was only a little girl, b

and girls any way, can't get up like the birds, just when it gets nice and light! What a chatter and twitter those birds outside were making-he had never noticed them

to us and tell us stories of all the places they see when they are travelling. What fun it would be!

derings was suddenly snapped.

ped softly across the room and stoo

nd to see him as he is now, no one would think there was anything the matte