was disordered; her eyes stared in anguish; her lips stammered, making
confused sounds, which at first had no meaning to the startled hearer.
But he heard--oh, he heard and understood, when the distracted woman
grasped his arm, and cried,--

"Melody is stolen! stolen! and Rejoice is dead!"




CHAPTER VII.

LOST.


Miss Rejoice was not dead; though the doctor had a moment of dreadful
fright when he saw her lying all crumpled up on the floor, her eyes
closed, her face like wrinkled wax. Between them, the doctor and Miss
Vesta got her back into bed, and rubbed her hands, and put stimulants
between her closed lips. At last her breath began to flutter, and then
came back steadily. She opened her eyes; at first they were soft and
mild as usual, but presently a wild look stole into them.

"The child!" she whispered; "the child is gone!"

"We know it," said Dr. Brown, quietly. "We shall find her, Rejoice,
never fear. Now you must rest a few minutes, and then you shall tell
us how it happened. Why, we found you on the floor, my child,"--Miss
Rejoice was older than the doctor, but it seemed natural to call her
by any term of endearment,--"how upon earth did you get there?"