WYLDER'S HAjYD. 433 crying — no more singing — no more, laughing; all these interruptions were quiet now, and altogether gone — "Little man! little Fairy! Oh, was it possible!" Poor Dolly! Her Willie would not tell her yet. He kneeled down in the study — " Little man's' top, and some cut paper nondescripts, were lying where he had left them, at his elbow — and he tried to pray, and then he remembered that his darling ought to know that he was going into the presence of his Maker. Yes he would tell poor Dolly first, and then his little- man. He would repeat his hymn with him, and pray — and so he went up the nursery stairs. Poor Dolly, very tired, had gone to lie down for a lit- tle. He would not disturb her — no, let her enjoy, for an hour more, her happy illusion. When he went into the nursery little Fairy was sitting up, taking his medicine; the nurse's arm round his thin shoulders. He sat down beside him, weeping gently, his face turned a little away, and his hand on the coverlet. Little man looked wonderingly from his tired eyes on Wapsie, and his thin fingers crept on his hand, and Wap- sie turned about, drying his eyes, and said — "Little man! my darling!" "He's like himself, sir, while he's sitting up —his lit- tle head quite right again." "My head's quite right, Wapsie," the little man whis- pered, sadly. "Thank God, my darling!" said the Vicar. The tears were running down his cheeks while he parted little Fairy's golden hair with his fingers. "When I am quite well again," whispered the little man, " won't you bring me to the Castle meadow, where the wee river is, and we'll float races with daisies and butter-cups — the way you did on my birth-day." 19