Hetty Gray | Page 5

Mrs. Rushton got into the carriage again and held the child on her lap
while they were being driven back to the village to Mrs. Kane's cottage
door. It was quite a new sensation to the whimsical lady of fashion to
hold a suffering child in her arms, and she was surprised to find that, in
spite of her first feelings of impatience at being stopped on the road,
she rather liked it. As Hetty's little fair curly head hung back helplessly
over her arm, and the round soft cheek, turned so white, touched her
breast, Mrs. Rushton felt a motherly sensation which she had never
before known in all her frivolous life.
Mrs. Kane was out at the garden gate looking up and down the road for
the missing Hetty. When she saw Hetty lifted out of the carriage she
began to cry.
"Oh my! my!" she sobbed, "I never thought it would come to this with
her, and she so sharp. Thank you, madam, thank you, I'm sure. She's
not my own child, but I feel it as much as if she was."
Mrs. Rushton then sent the carriage off for the doctor and went into the

cottage with Mrs. Kane. The child was laid as gently as possible on a
poor but clean bed covered with a patchwork quilt of many colours, and
the lady of fashion sat by her side, bathing the baby forehead with eau
de Cologne which she happened to have with her. It was all new and
unexpectedly interesting to Mrs. Rushton. Never had she been received
as a friend in a cottage home before, the only occasions when she had
even seen the inside of one were those on which she had accompanied
Mrs. Sourby on her mission of distributing tracts; and on those
occasions she had felt that she was not looked on as a friend by the
poor who received her, but rather as an intruder. It was evident now
that good, grieved Mrs. Kane took her for an angel as she sat by the
little one's bed, and it was new and delightful to Mrs. Rushton to be
regarded as a benefactress by anyone.
The doctor arrived, set the child's arm, which was found to be broken,
and gave her something to make her fall asleep. Then he charmed Mrs.
Rushton by complimenting that lady on her goodness of heart.
"Remember, all the expense is to be mine," she said to him, "and I hope
you will order the little one everything she can possibly require. I will
come to see her to-morrow, Mrs. Kane, and bring her some flowers and
fruit."
The pretty green woods which Hetty loved had grown dark, the
butterflies had flown away to whatever dainty lodging butterflies
inhabit during the summer nights, the yellow wings of the flag-lilies
fluttered unseen in the shadows, and the moon had risen high above the
tall beech-trees and the old church tower. Mrs. Rushton stepped into
her carriage once more, and was driven rapidly through the quiet
village, away towards her own luxurious home, feeling more interested
and excited than she had felt for a long time.
Little Hetty Gray, her scare of fright and pain gone for the time like a
bad dream, lay sound asleep upon her humble bed, and Mrs. Kane,
trimming her night-light, paused to listen, with that fascination which
many people feel at the sound, to the hoarse boom of the old church
clock calling the hour of midnight, across the chimneys of the village
and away over the silent solemn woods.
Mrs. Kane felt with a sort of awe that another day had begun, but she
little knew that with it a strange new leaf had been turned in the story
of her little Hetty's life.

CHAPTER III
.
ADOPTED.
Mrs. Rushton returned the next day with a basket of ripe peaches and a
large bouquet of lovely flowers such as Hetty had never seen before.
The yellow lilies might stand now in peace among their tall flag leaves
without fearing to have their heads picked off, for Hetty had got
something newer and more delightful to admire than they. Odorous
golden roses and pearl-white gardenias scented and beautified the poor
little room where Hetty lay. Where had they come from, she wondered,
and who was the pretty lady who sat by her side and kept putting
nice-smelling things to her nose? At first she was very shy and only
looked at her with half-closed eyes, but after some time she took
courage and spoke to her.
"What kind lady are you?" asked Hetty boldly.
"I am a good fairy," said Mrs. Rushton, "and when you are well I am
going to carry you off to see my house."
"Hetty has got a house,"