Troublesome Comforts | Page 6

and on to Susie's. Then she stretched out two comforting little arms
and held her close.

"Don't, Susie, don't," she said breathlessly; "it wasn't your fault."
"Yes, it was," said Susie harshly.
Amy rubbed her rosy cheek against Susie's sleeve, and at the touch
Susie's frozen heart melted. Tears came and sobs, till the sheet was wet,
and she could only speak in gasps.
"Mother trusted me! I am going to mother, Amy. I can't bear it any
more. If Dick dies, it is me that did it. I was the only one who knew."
"Let me get your shoes," said Amy.
But Susie would not wait. She slipped out of bed on to the cold
boards--a small, miserable figure, disfigured with crying--whilst Amy
watched her breathlessly. She opened the door and listened. Every one
seemed to be asleep, except that in the room next door she heard
hushed voices and the tread of careful feet, then the rattle of a cup and
Dick's cough. She opened the door as gently as she could and looked in.
The blind was up and a fire burning. The tent of blankets had been
pulled down, and Dick, with the poultice still on his chest, was sitting
up in bed, wrapped in a soft red shawl. By the table stood nurse,
making tea; and his mother, looking pale and tired, was sitting by the
crib. She looked up when the door opened, and without a word held out
her arms.
Susie fairly tumbled into them.
"O mother," she kept repeating, as if nothing more would come.
"Susie!" said mother.
"Oh, I have been awake all night!" Susie panted out the words. "If he
had died it would have been my fault. Mother, is he getting well?"
"My darling Susie," said mother, "I had not time to come to you. I
never dreamt you were awake. Dick is much better; but he has been
very bad, and he must go to sleep."

"Mother, let me tell you! I am so wicked. I felt sure they would not be
really naughty; I felt certain--"
"Susie," said mother faintly, "I must go to sleep too. Some other time
we will talk it over, but not now."
"But I can't sleep," said Susie, "unless I tell you first."
"Come, Susie, try. I am sure it would be a great comfort to make
excuses; but, just for once, choose the harder part, and say nothing.
You and I, Susie, must get our beauty-sleep."
She stroked the flaxen pigtail and gently unloosed Susie's clinging
hands.
"Come, let me tuck you in," she said.
"Nurse is going to stay with Dick. Susie, I am very, very tired."
Susie's sobs ceased suddenly, and she stood up straight. It was the
hardest battle she had ever fought, but she was never one for half
measures. In perfect silence she allowed her mother to lead her away
and tuck her comfortably into the little bed, where Amy patiently
waited for her, and then, still silently, she put her two arms round her
mother and hugged her.
"Oh, thank you, Susie," mother said gratefully.
CHAPTER V.
Dick took many days to get well, and all the time his crib remained in
the corner of his mother's room. The red pail and spade were tidied
away, and his knickerbocker suit was put out of sight; and in the
afternoon, when the house was empty, and nurse, and Susie, and Amy,
and Tom, and baby were all out on the sands, his mother used to read
delightful stories to him, whilst he lay and watched her with round,
wondering eyes. His cough was troublesome at night, but however
often he twisted, and turned, and choked, there was the familiar face

bending over him, her arm beneath his head.
Dick was a very kind little boy, and he tried always to cough under the
bed-clothes, so as not to wake her, but it was no use. However carefully
he coughed, her eyes always opened at once.
"I am taking away your peace-time," he said, over and over again. And
she always answered, "Never mind, darling; I could not sleep if you
wanted me."
"You look so funny," he said once.
"Perhaps I am tired, Dickie."
But she smiled as she spoke, and he felt relieved. It was when she was
too tired to smile that her face was strange.
And Susie's behaviour was quite angelic. She was happy and busy, and
brimful of good resolutions. She gave up many and many a morning on
the sands to play with Dick, and to let her mother go out to walk or
shop. Her astonishing meekness was a constant surprise to Tom, and he
was relieved by occasional flashes of temper, which showed him that
the old Susie was only sleeping, not