Baby and the Kitten 185 



not see you are suffering ? So at least Clytie 

 appeared to think. 



A little later in the day the maid came in, 

 smoothed down the pillows, and tried to soothe Baby 

 to sleep ; but he was restless, and continued to cry 

 and moan, very softly, very pitifully. The girl did 

 not note the crimson cheeks, the dry skin, and the 

 parched lips of the child, and only sought to put 

 him to sleep. And so the time passed until Mamma 

 came to see her little treasure, and found him with 

 a raging fever and partially delirious. Oh, the sud- 

 den agony that seemed to stifle her heart ! and oh, 

 the eternity of suspense until the family doctor came! 

 And very grave the doctor looked, although, of 

 course, he sought to cheer the mother all he could. 

 And then began that struggle against the dread 

 enemy scarlatina, which was seeking to consume the 

 tender life of the babe ; a struggle in which the life 

 of the mother seemed a cheap price to pay for the 

 salvation of her child. 



From the first, Clytie had refused to leave the 

 crib ; and it was soon found that her presence seemed 

 to soothe and have a good effect upon the tiny patient. 



