'
But Dora did not improve, and the Doctor seemed to be always in
the house.
'There's some danger of the thing taking a bad turn,' he said; 'I'll
come over between three and four in the morning to-morrow.'
'Good gracious!' said Mrs. Hauksbee. 'He never told me what the
turn would be! My education has been horribly neglected; and I
have only this foolish mother-woman to fall back upon.'
The night wore through slowly, and Mrs. Hauksbee dozed in a
chair by the fire. There was a dance at the Viceregal Lodge, and
she dreamed of it till she was aware of Mrs. Bent's anxious eyes
staring into her own.
'Wake up! Wake up! Do something!' cried Mrs. Bent piteously.
'Dora's choking to death! Do you mean to let her die?'
Mrs. Hauksbee jumped to her feet and bent over the bed. The child
was fighting for breath, while the mother wrung her hands
despairingly.
'Oh, what can I do? What can you do? She won't stay still! I can't
hold her. Why didn't the Doctor say this was coming?' screamed
Mrs. Bent. 'Won't you help me? She's dying!'
'I I've never seen a child die before!' stammered Mrs. Hauksbee
feebly, and then let none blame her weakness after the strain of
long watching she broke down, and covered her face with her
hands. The ayahs on the threshold snored peacefully.
There was a rattle of 'rickshaw wheels below, the clash of an
opening door, a heavy step on the stairs, and Mrs.
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