A Girl in Ten Thousand | Page 7

after hour strike from the church clock close by. Between two and three
in the morning she dropped off into a troubled doze. She awoke in
broad daylight, to start to her feet and see her father standing in the
room.
"Get up, Effie," he said. "I want you; dress yourself as quickly as you
can."
There was an expression about his face which prevented Effie's uttering
a word. She scrambled into her clothes--he waited for her on the
landing. When she was dressed he took her hand and went softly down
through the house.
"I do not want your mother to be disturbed," he said. "There is a very
bad case of illness at The Grange."
"What is it, father?" asked Effie.
"Well, I fear that it is a complication of scarlet fever and diphtheria.
The child will have an awful fight for her life, and at the present
moment I am afraid the odds are terribly against her."
"Oh, father, and she is the only child!" said Effie.
"Yes, yes, I know all that; but there is no use in going into sentiment

just now--the thing is to pull her through if possible. Now, look here: I
can send to London, of course, for a nurse, but she would not arrive for
several hours--do you think your friend Miss Fraser would undertake
the case?"
"Yes, I am sure she would," said Effie.
"That's just like you women," said the doctor impatiently; "you jump to
conclusions without knowing anything at all about the matter. The
child's case is horribly infectious. In fact, I shall be surprised if the
illness does not run right through the house. The mother has been
sitting up with this baby day and night for the last week, and they were
so silly they never sent for a doctor, imagining that the awful state of
the throat was due to hoarseness, and that the rash was what they were
pleased to call 'spring heat.' The folly of some people is enough to drive
any reasonable man to despair. They send for the doctor, forsooth,
when the child is almost in the grip of death! I have managed to relieve
her a bit during the night, but I must have the services of a good nurse
at once. Go over and awake Miss Fraser, Effie, and bring her to see me.
If she has the pluck she gave me to understand she had, she will come
in as a stop-gap until I get somebody else. And now, look here: the case
is so infectious, and your mother is so weak just now, that I am going
to devote myself altogether to it for the next few days. I am going to
take up my abode at The Grange, and I shall wire to my old friend
Edwards to look after the rest of my patients. There are only half a
dozen to be seen to, and he will keep them quiet until I am free again.
Now go over and bring Miss Fraser for me to see. I have driven down
on the Squire's dog-cart, and will take her back with me if she will
come. Run along, Effie, and wake her up."
CHAPTER II.
Dorothy Fraser was sound asleep when Effie rushed into her little
room.
"Get up!" said Effie, shaking her friend by the shoulder.
As a nurse Miss Fraser was accustomed to unexpected disturbances.

She opened her eyes now and gazed at Effie for a bewildered moment,
then she sat up in bed and pushed back her heavy hair.
"Why, Effie," she exclaimed, "what do you want? I fancied I was back
at St. Joseph's and that one of the nurses had got into trouble and had
come to me, but I find I am at home for the holidays. Surely it is not
time to get up yet?"
"It is only five o'clock," said Effie. "It is not the usual time to get up;
but, Dorothy, father wants you. There is a bad case of illness at The
Grange--very bad indeed, and father is nearly distracted, and he wants
to know if you will help him just for a bit."
"Why, of course," cried Dorothy. "I shall be delighted."
"I knew you would; I knew you were just that splendid sort of a girl."
Miss Fraser knit her brows in some perplexity "Don't, Effie," she said.
"I wish you would not go into such ecstasies over me; I am only just a
nurse. A nurse is, and ought to be, at the beck and call of everyone who
is in trouble. Now run away, dear; I won't be any time in getting
dressed. I will join you and your father in a minute."
"Father will see you in the street," said Effie. "The fact