Just as she reached the ground a large, dark object sprang toward her and two glittering eyes looked up into her face.  She uttered a loud shriek and was answered by a low whine, which she instantly recognized as belonging to Tiger.  “Why, Tiger,” she exclaimed, “how you frightened me!  What did you follow me for?” It seems Tiger had thought there must be something wrong, or his mistress would not be out at this unreasonable hour, so he had followed on after her.  She was noways displeased at this, for she liked not the idea of again going alone through the wood, but with Tiger for a companion she went fearlessly on and reached home just an hour after she had left it.

On entering her room she struck a light and then tried to warm her chilled limbs over a few faint coals which still glimmered on the hearth; but there was no wood in the room and she dared not go for any, so she sat down with her cloak still around her, and for four long hours studied as she had never done before in all her life.  At the end of that time her lessons were very nearly learned, and sick with cold and fatigue, she threw aside her books and prepared for bed.

Her movements awoke Fanny, who, on seeing her sister up at that late hour of the night, started with surprise, and exclaimed, “What is it, Julia?  What is the matter?” Julia immediately extinguished the light, lest her sister should discover the books and then said, “Nothing, Fanny, nothing; only I have the toothache, and I got up for the camphor, but I cannot find the bottle anywhere.”

“The camphor is downstairs,” said Fanny, “but I will go for it if you wish me to.  Does your tooth ache very much?”

“Yes, rather,” said Julia, and her kind-hearted sister arose and found her way in the dark downstairs to her mother’s room.

“What in thunder’s come now?” called out Mr. Middleton. “’Pears like somebody’s been tousing round the house all night.”

“It’s only I, father,” said Fanny.  “Julia has the toothache, and I am after the camphor bottle.”

“Oh, it’s you, Sunshine, is it?  The camphire’s on the mantletry.  Be keerful and not break it, honey.”

While Fanny was after the camphor, Julia arose, and seizing her books, threw them hastily into her bureau drawer.  She then sprang back into bed and when Fanny came in she was making a very appropriate moaning on account of her aching tooth!

“How cold you are, sister,” said Fanny; “let me warm my shawl and put it around you.”

“You can’t warm it, for their is neither fire nor wood,” said Julia; “and besides, my tooth is much better now.”

So Fanny lay down by her sister, and the two, purity and guilt, were soon fast asleep, side by side, and the angel of innocence spread his broad wing protectingly over the yellow locks of the one, while a serpent lay coiled in the dark tresses of the other.

CHAPTER III