CHAPTER XXVIII.

TAKEN.

DESSIE followed after the three, unnerved and trembling, yet unable to endure to remain behind. She kept in the background and was not noticed.

Ella was quickly bending over the unconscious child, who looked even now like death, except that there was a touch of suffering about the quiet little face. Mrs. Fitzroy and the nurse were shedding tears, but Ella had grown suddenly calm, and Cecil stood watching, with his face still stern, as if a battle were going on below. Harry had his finger on the tiny wrist.

"I should like Mr. Crewe to be sent for," Ella said gently.

"He was

"No use," her husband answered. going to a distance, and he will not be back till late. He told me he feared this, dear, and said that nothing could be done."

"Nothing," repeated Ella.

She bent lower, and pressed her lips to the fair forehead. "My Baby

"It

"she murmured. O Hughie, darling, it will be

is almost over now.
better for you to be there."

And presently she looked up with almost a smile. "Don't you see, Cecil ?-he half opened his eyes, and I think he knew me."

They would not contradict her. She hung over him fondly, and the rest waited round; but the waiting was not long. For the pulse grew momentarily more feeble, and the breath became more fluttering, and at length Harry laid down the waxen hand and looked at his brother.

"Ella, dearest, you must come away now," said Cecil.

She understood him, and only paused to press one passionate kiss upon the baby face, settling into its last repose. Then she turned to obey; but her over-tasked strength seemed suddenly to fail her, and she had to be carried from the room.

It was long before any one thought of Dessie. For more than an hour Ella's state engrossed general attention. At the end of that time, Nurse, who had been once or twice in and out, signed to Harry to follow her from the room, and said in a low voice, "I don't know whether you can do anything with Miss Dessie, sir, for I can't. She won't leave the nursery, and it isn't right she should stay there alone."

Harry went thither at once, blaming himself for not remembering Dessie sooner. He found her standing beside the crib, in an attitude of complete hopelessness, and when he spoke to her she gave no sign of hearing.

"Dessie, you had better come away with me," he repeated; and as she still made no response,

he shook her gently to arouse her.

She released herself, with an impatient movement, and a "Don't!"

"You must not stay here," he said.

"If you would leave me alone, please," muttered Dessie. "There's no other place fit

"Have you been here all the last hour?" asked Harry.

"I don't know. Not quite all. I couldn't stay anywhere else. I'd rather be here-than-seeing

Ella!"

"Poor dear Ella!" Harry said feelingly. "She will die too."

66 No, no,

I am not afraid of that.

But we must

keep her very quiet for some days. The strain has been great."

He was silent for a minute, looking at the tiny peaceful face on the pillow.

"Poor little child!

merciful thing for him.

After all, it is the most

If he had lived to grow

up, he could never have been anything but a pain and trouble to his friends."

Dessie made no answer, but she leant against the back of a chair, trembling so violently that she must have fallen without support.

"You are not well," he said. "This has been too much for you."

"I don't know. I am only-cold," said Dessie, her teeth chattering.

"Come down into the drawing-room. You will feel better there. Shall I get you anything hot to drink?"

"Oh no, thank you. She allowed him to help her downstairs.

I shall be all right." give her his arm, and to Once out of the nursery

and away from the sight of little Hugh, the shivering lessened, but she looked wan and unhappy. Harry stood gazing at her solicitously.

"You are not quite so strong as you used to be, Dessie," he said. "One is apt to forget that. Better now?"

Dessie hardly uttered the word "Yes." Her mind was on something else, and she suddenly asked, "Has Cecil told you?"

"Told me what?"

"What I told him."

"I have heard nothing particular. What do you mean?"

"About Hughie. That-that his illness-was -was my doing."

The words dropped slowly. Harry heard in bewilderment, scarcely able to believe his own ears. "Your doing!"

"Not mine alone, but Anne's and mine. He fell off the sofa-on his head. Why didn't Cecil tell you?" asked Dessie bitterly. "Everybody has to know it, of course-but I can't tell all over again."

"You wish Cecil to have the pain of doing so, that you may be spared," Harry said coldly.

She looked up with a start. "I-I didn't mean that. I did not think. O Harry-don't," for the set of his face had grown harsh in its displeasure. "I am so wretched."

"As you have good reason to be,” he said.
"I can't help it-now," she moaned.

"Why was it never made known before?” "I couldn't. I had promised. O Harry— can't you feel a little pity for me?

dreadfully punished.”

I am SO

One or two heavy tears fell, and he came a step nearer. "Indeed, yes, Dessie," he said, his severity of manner relaxing. "I pity you from my heart, if this tale is true-I mean, if I understand it rightly. You have laid a life-long burden How is it that you never told?" "I couldn't. I had promised," she said again. "I had to wait till I could get leave."

upon yourself.

She mentioned a few of the leading facts brokenly, as he seemed to be waiting for them, ending with, “I would give anything now--anything-if only I had not kept it secret."

"Yes, that would have removed all responsibility from yourself, beyond the blame attaching to a moment's carelessness," Harry answered. "It is a

sad business. I could wish that Ella had heard it on any day except this."

"I always do things wrong," Dessie said, not complainingly, but with hopeless acquiescence in an undeniable fact. "Please tell the others for me. And tell them I have left in Cecil's hands about Anne. He has given a kind of promise that nothing shall be done to take away her character."

"She deserves anything."

"She is sorry now, and she has no children to