She stroked his hand, and they dropped fast: but he was
ashamed to cry, and quickly dried them.
"I think," she said, "that you will be a man, Sam; take care of
Susan, and be a comfort to your father."
"I hope I shall," said Sam; "but I don't know how."
"Nobody can tell how beforehand," she said. "Only watch to see what
he may seem to want to have done for him. Sit quietly by, and don't
get in the way."
"Were you ever so unhappy, Miss Fosbrook?" asked Susan.
"Yes, once I was, when my father was knocked down by an omnibus, and
was very ill."
"Tell us about it?" said Susan.
She did tell them of her week of sorrow and anxious care of the
younger children, and the brightening ray of hope at last. It seemed
to freshen both up, and give them hopes, for each drew a long sigh of
relief; and then Sam said, "Papa wrote to Mr. Carey. She is to be
prayed for in church to-morrow."
"Oh," said Susan, with a sound as of dismay, which made Christabel
ask in wonder why she was sorry, when, from Susan's half-uttered
words, she found that the little girl fancied that a "happy issue out
of all her afflictions" meant death.
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