Ellen paused a moment or two, and then replied, with an expression of sadness in her voice—­“I will make the dresses for you, Mrs. Condy, but you must all help me as much as you can, so that I can get home every evening.  It won’t do to let Margaret be alone all night, for her cough is much worse in the evening, and before day in the morning.”

Neither Mrs. Condy nor her daughters replied to this.  Mentally, they deemed it impossible for Ellen to go home at night.  But they did not wish to say so.  It was Wednesday, and all the afternoon was consumed in cutting, fitting, and basting the dresses.  Night came, and Ellen, after tea, prepared to go home.  Some slight objection was made; but she was resolute.  It was some time after dark when she came in sight of her chamber window.  It showed that there was no light within.  Instantly she sprang forward, and soon bounded up the stairs and into the room.

“Margaret!—­How are you, Margaret?” she said, pressing up to the bedside, and putting her hand upon the forehead of her sister.  It was cold and clammy.  A violent fit of coughing prevented a reply.  A light was obtained in a few minutes, and showed the countenance of Margaret slightly distorted from difficult breathing, and her forehead perceptibly corrugated.

“You are worse, sister!” exclaimed Ellen, kissing her damp forehead.

“No, not much worse.  My cough is only a little troublesome,” was the quiet reply.

“You have had no supper yet, of course,” said Ellen.  “A cup of hot tea will do you good.”

This was soon prepared, and Margaret (sic) eat with a keen appetite.  After tea, she was much better.  The cold perspiration ceased, and her skin became dry and warm.  A brief conversation passed between the sisters, when Margaret fell off into a pleasant slumber.  On the next morning, with much reluctance and many misgivings as to whether it were right to leave her sister alone, Ellen went to Mrs. Condy’s.  Before going, however, she asked the kind neighbour who lived below, to look in occasionally, and to see that Margaret had a good cup of tea for dinner.  This was promised, and she felt lighter at heart.

Ellen worked hard through that day; but when night came, with all the help she had received, the first dress was not finished.  Unless one dress were finished each day, the three could not be done by Sunday; and this not being the case on the first day, how could she go home that night? for if she worked a few hours longer, the garment would be ready for the wearer.

“I must run home a little while,” said she, mentally, “and then come back again.  But how can I leave Margaret all night?  She may die!” The thought caused her to shudder.

At length she said to Mrs. Condy—­

“I can’t leave sister all night, madam.  But I can take your dress home with me, and by sitting up late, I can easily finish it.  You will have no objection to my doing this, I hope?”