Page:Richard Marsh--The goddess a demon.djvu/41

Rh "I will wake her."

I did—by laying my hand gently on her shoulder. She moved, turned, opened her eyes, and, when she saw who it was, sat upright in her chair.

"I've been asleep again; it seems as if my eyes would not keep open. Where have you been? I thought you never would come back. It was so quiet here, and this is such an easy chair, I had to go to sleep."

"I've been in search of Mrs. Peddar, of whom I told you. This is Mrs. Peddar."

The girl turned to her with a radiant smile; my conviction is that that smile won Mrs. Peddar's heart right off.

"Oh, Mrs. Peddar, I am so sleepy. I feel as if I wanted to sleep, sleep, sleep. I can't think what's the matter."

Mrs. Peddar was regarding her with inquisitive looks, in which, however, there was sympathy as well.

"You're tired, miss; that's what the matter is with you. A good night's rest will do you good; you shall have it if you'll come with me, and as comfortable a bed as you ever slept in."

"You'll be all right with Mrs. Peddar," I said; for the girl seemed to hesitate. "You could not be in safer keeping, or in kinder hands."

"Cannot I stay here?"