"Got back? Is school over?"

"From the--the place you sent me to, mother."

"What am I thinking of!" exclaimed Lotty, starting to consciousness.
"Come here, and tell me. Did you see--see him, Ida? Mr. Woodstock,
you know."

"Yes, mother," began the child, with pale face, "and he--he said I
was to tell you--"

She burst into tears, and flew to her mother's neck.

"Oh, you won't send me away from you, mother dear? I can't go away
from you!"

Lotty felt she knew what this meant. Fear and trouble wrought with
her physical weakness to drive her almost distracted. She sprang up,
caught the child by the shoulders, and shook her as if in anger.

"Tell me, can't you?" she cried, straining her weak voice. "What did
he say? Don't be a little fool! Can't the child speak?"

She fell back again, seized with a cough which choked her. Ida
stayed her sobbing, and looked on in terror. Her mother motioned
constantly to her to proceed.

"The gentleman said," Ida continued, with calm which was the result
of extreme self-control, "that he would take me; but that you were