Page:Augusta Seaman--Jacqueline of the carrier pigeons.djvu/158

132 her without an instant’s delay. When he reached the sick room he gave one keen  glance at his patient, and then set about his  work of relief, Jacqueline assisting him with  the intelligence and skill perfected by much  practice.

“Now,” said he finally, “thou must make up thy mind, Juffrouw Jacqueline, to one  thing. For the present thou must give up all thought of going on thy daily round with  me, and devote thyself to the care of this thy  companion. Her case is more critical than usual, having been brought on, I judge, by  systematic starvation.”

“But Jan!—” faltered the girl. “He is still very weak and needs my care.”

“Let him come here and stay,” ordered the doctor. “I will myself fetch him this afternoon, and thus thou wilt have both thy  patients under thine eye. He also may be able to help thee a little. Where is thy brother?”

“He has gone out of the city on an errand