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Nuttie's Father by Charlotte Mary Yonge
Book, page 321 / 342


judging to-night, and sleep was wonderful reparation to those little
beings.

Then however the moans and murmurs began again, and now the awakening
cry. They started forward, and as Nuttie came to the cot-side the
child threw himself into her bosom with, 'Sister! Sister! It is
sister!' but his eyes grew round with terror at sight of Annaple, and
clinging tightly to Nuttie he gasped, 'Send her away! don't let her
touch me! Fan's not here!'

To tell him she was Cousin Annaple, Billy's mamma, had no effect; he
did not seem able to understand, and she could only retire--nurse
being thus convinced that to let him see another stranger to-night
would only do further harm. Nuttie and nurse succeeded in reassuring
him that he was safe at home and with them, and in hushing him off
into what they hoped would be a quiet wholesome sleep in spite of the
hot sultry night, on which Annaple laid a good deal of the blame of
his restlessness and feverishness.

Nuttie only came down for a short time before the visitors went away;
and then she wrote a note to Dr. Brownlow, which Mark promised to
leave as he went to the city in the morning, Mr. Egremont, in his
present relief, pooh-poohing all fears, and backing up Annaple's
belief in the powers of 'tired nature's soft restorer'; but Mr.
Dutton looked grave and said that he had remarked the extreme
tenderness, but had hoped that much was due to his own inexperience
in handling little children. The parting clasp of the hand had a
world of meaning in it, and Nuttie openly said that she hoped to tell
him after matins at St. Michael's how the boy was. But she could not
be there. When she went upstairs at night the half-delirious terrors
had returned, and there was another difficult soothing and comforting
before the child slept again. Nurse fancied the unwonted presence
might disturb him, and insisted on her going to her own room.

When she returned in the morning it was to find that since daylight
he had been more quietly asleep; but there was a worn sunken look
about his face, and she could not be satisfied to leave him alone
while the nurses stirred about and breakfasted.

He awoke smiling and happy; he looked about and said gladly, 'Wyn at

 
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