WATCHING. 53

doctor had given her, quite unconscious that
her youngest darling, whom she loved almost
more than she had ever loved any of her other
children, was lying as near death as he could
be and yet be living.

Her husband was sitting in his old place by
the bedside, his face turned to the bed, and his
eyes sometimes fixed on the little boy. But
he had been out in the open air all day, and
no matter what he did to keep himself awake,
his heavy eyelids would fall and close.

Every now and then he started, shook him-
self, and leaned anxiously towards the bed.
There was no change there. Then he would
try harder than before, getting up and walking
about the floor, the boards creaking under his
slippered feet. But there was no fear of rous-
ing the little patient, for the loudest sound
could not reach him in his present state.

Nellie, too, was keeping watch, for she had
begged so eagerly to be allowed to sit up, that
her father had said “ Yes” at last, though his
first answer had been a shake of the head.
There was no look of sleepiness about her
round, wide, tired eyes. Her brain was too
busy. The doctor had answered her question