"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?"
