Peter took his handkerchief and wiped the little head. Then he took a
newspaper, lying on a chair, twisted it into a rude fan, and began
fanning the child as he sat on the bed.

"What did you want me for?" he asked.

"Won't you tell me the story you read from the book? The one about the
little girl who went to the country, and was given a live dove and real
flowers."

Peter began telling the story as well as he could remember it, but it
was never finished. For while he talked another little girl went to the
country, a far country, from which there is no return--and a very
ordinary little story ended abruptly.

The father and mother took the death very calmly. Peter asked them a few
questions, and found that there were three other children, the eldest of
whom was an errand boy, and therefore away. The others, twin babies, had
been cared for by a woman on the next floor. He asked about money, and
found that they had not enough to pay the whole expenses of the double
funeral.

"But the undertaker says he'll do it handsome, and will let the part I
haven't money for, run, me paying it off in weekly payments," the man
explained, when Peter expressed some surprise at the evident needless
expense they were entailing on themselves.

While he talked, the doctor came in.