'Come in,' said Bridget, though without looking up. But when the neat
little figure came forward, close to the bedside, and she glanced round
and saw who it was, a smile came over her face--the first for a long
time.

'Celestina!' she exclaimed joyfully. But then the smile died away again,
and a red flush covered her cheeks and forehead. 'No,' she said, turning
on the other side, 'I don't want to see you. Go away.'

Celestina felt very distressed. But she wanted to do Biddy good, so she
put back her own feelings.

'Please don't say that,' she said. 'I'll stay as quiet as anything, but
please don't send me away. I've been so wanting to see you.'

There was a slight turning towards her on this, and at last Biddy lifted
her head from the pillow a little.

'Did you truly want to see me?' she said.

'Of course I did. I've been very sorry about you being ill,' Celestina
replied.

Biddy did not speak. Then Celestina heard a faint sound, and going up a
little closer still, she saw that Biddy was crying.

'Dear Miss Biddy,' she whispered. Then a pair of hot little arms, not so
fat as they had been, were stretched out and thrown round her neck.