The sound of her fall and Virginia’s terrified shriek had brought the neighbors flocking upon the scene; some of the boldest opening the door and ushering themselves in without the ceremony of knocking.

“The lady’s in a fit!” cried a woman, hurrying to Virginia’s assistance; “you’ve druv her to distraction; you shouldn’t a ben so abusive; I could hear ye clear into my room a scoldin’ and accusin’ of her of makin’ your match fer ye.”

“Run for a doctor, some of you!” cried Virginia, standing by the couch where, with the woman’s help, she had laid her mother, and wringing her hands in helpless distress.  “Oh, she’ll die! she’ll die!  Mother, mother!  I’m sorry I was so cruel!  Oh, I take it all back.  Oh, mother, speak to me!”

“‘Tain’t no use,” said the woman, “she don’t hear ye.  An’ if she did she couldn’t speak.  I’ve seen folks struck down with apoplexy afore.”

“Oh, will she die? will she die?” groaned the wretched daughter, dropping on her knees beside the couch.

“Can’t tell, mum; sometimes they die in a little bit, and sometimes they get purty well over it and live on for years.  Here, let me put another pillar under her head, and some o’ ye there run and fetch the coldest water that ever ye can git.”

Some one had summoned a physician, and he presently came hurrying in.  His first act was to send every one from the room except the patient and her two attendants.

With tears and sobs Virginia besought him to save her mother’s life.

“I shall certainly do my best, madam,” he said, “but very little can be done at present.  What was the immediate cause of the attack?”

Virginia answered vaguely that her mother was fatigued with a long journey and had been worried and fretted.

“This is not her home?” glancing around the meanly furnished dirty room.

“No; neither she nor I have been accustomed to such surroundings,” answered Virginia haughtily.  “Can you not see that we are ladies?  We are from the South, and mother has but just arrived.  Oh, tell me, is she going to die?”

“Her recovery is doubtful.  If she has other near relatives who care to see her alive, I advise you to summon them with all speed.”

“Oh dear! oh dear! you must save her!” cried Virginia frantically, wringing her hands.  “I can’t have her die.  They’ll say I killed her!  But every word I said was true; she did all in her power to make the match that has ruined my happiness and all my prospects for life.”

“So you, her own daughter, have brought this on by cruel taunts and reproaches!” the physician said in a tone of mingled contempt and indignation.  “I hope you feel that the least you can do now is to take the best possible care of her.”

“How can I?” sobbed Virginia.  “I’ve no money to pay a nurse or buy comforts for mother, and I know nothing about nursing or cooking for sick or well.  I wasn’t brought up to work.”