CHAPTER XLVIII.

RANDALL'S REQUEST.

ON the first landing, Gertrude met Mr. Shaddock.

"I have seen Conway, and he has explained all about it," he said in a low tone. "And now nurse says the greatest thing is to get him out of the house as quickly as possible—because of the others."

"Yes," assented Gertrude; "I will collect a few of my things, and then we will go. How shall we get him carried across to the other house?"

"I can do that," said his father. "How long shall you be? Miss Ashlyn, I cannot express all I feel for your self-denying kindness. If it were not for my wife, I would not permit it. But if she were to miss all the children, or even nurse, I do not know what would be the consequence."

"I quite understand all that," said Gertrude, "and indeed I am glad to be able to help you."

For an instant her voice trembled; she thought of herself banished from all she loved, shut up with one who would rather have dispensed with her help or company. But it was only for a moment.

Otto's words came back with a sense of strength. "It is quite right," he had said.

And, remembering this, she had looked up once more.

"I shall not be much more than five minutes. Will you tell nurse so, and ask her to get Randall ready?"

In less than half an hour a heavy bundle, muffled in a blanket, was carried down-stairs. And then the door of the Strange House opened, and Mr. Shaddock deposited his little son on the horsehair sofa in the kitchen, and turned to look into Mrs. Swift's face.

"I have not done as much as I could have wished," she said, addressing Gertrude, "but the dear little boy's bed is ready, and I have lighted a fire up there. Dear miss, I will make you as comfortable as I can."

Gertrude held out her hand to Mr. Shaddock.

"Perhaps you had better not stay," she said, "because of the others. I will take all the care of him that I can, and be as kind to him as—as you were to our little Lester."

"I am sure you will," said Mr. Shaddock huskily. "I will send the doctor in, in the morning, and will speak to you, Miss Ashlyn, in the garden every morning and evening."

With a farewell touch on the head to his little son, and a smothered "God bless you," he turned away at last, and Gertrude was left in charge.

She and Mrs. Swift lifted poor little Randall to his room, and then they set about making him comfortable, unpacking nurse's thoughtfully-prepared basket, and arranging all things so that he might miss home comforts as little as possible.

He was very tired and miserable, and rolled himself up under the bedclothes directly, and would not respond to their questions. But when Mrs. Swift had gone out to get some necessary supplies, he opened his eyes, and seeing Gertrude's lovely bunch of flowers upon the table, said slowly—

"Where did those come from?"

"From a friend."

"Who?"

"Mr. Leigh."

"Oh!"

"Do you like them?"

She got up to put them near enough for him to smell them.

"Are they for me?" he asked.

"You and I can enjoy them together."

"I would rather they were mine. Can't I have them?"

"Can you not share them with me?"

He shook his head. "I hate sharing," he said irritably, closing his eyes.

Gertrude's heart smote her. Did she hate sharing? Why did she mind Randall having her flowers?

And then she thought of him as of one of the "little children" whom her blessed Saviour would call to His arms and bless. Could she grudge giving anything to one whom He would bless?

But Randall seemed to sleep, and she sat in silence by him, thinking and praying, seeing herself in a light in which she had never seen herself before—she saw herself selfish!

Would Randall never wake? How long would that heavy, restless sleep last?

Then she heard a carriage drive up. And in a minute a bell rang, and she remembered, with a start, that she had promised to answer the door while Mrs. Swift was out.

"Mr. Shaddock directed me here to see his little boy," said a gentleman, whom Gertrude rightly guessed was the doctor. She led the way up-stairs, and was thankful to receive all the necessary instructions, and to know exactly what to do.

"I am to look in twice a day," he said on leaving, "and you need not feel that the anxiety rests on you, Miss Ashlyn. You are doing these people a great service, and you will be happy, I trust, in feeling that."

He went rapidly down-stairs, and Gertrude felt that a load had been lifted from her shoulders.

"How kind my dear Lord is to me!" she thought. "I felt as if I could hardly bear the anticipation of this long night, and now it seems quite different."

Randall had been roused by the doctor's visit, and lay looking at Gertrude in silence.

"I wish I were in my nursery," he said at length.

Gertrude rose, and brought the flowers and put them on a chair close to his pillow. He looked at them without speaking.

"They are for you, dear!" she said very quietly.

"For my very own?"

"For your very own!" she answered.

And while he gave a little smile of pleasure, Gertrude felt that she had given away Otto's last gift!

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