Page:Authors daughter v1.djvu/44

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THE AUTHOR'S DAUGHTER.

said Mrs. Lindsay. "If Phemie and Isabel had been a home, no doubt it would be more cheerful for her, for she's but a bairn compared to you and Jessie, but we'll do our best. You maun take her to your room, Jessie, and let her sleep in the little green bed. I would na put her in a room by hersel, for it would be eerie with a corpse lying in the house."

It needed all Jessie's persuasion to induce Amy to leave her father's body for the night, and indeed a little of Mrs. Lindsy's authority in addition. She submitted to go to bed and let Jessie put out the light, but the kind-hearted girl was distressed to hear the heavy sobs every time she woke, which showed that poor Amy could not sleep for her grief. She would not allow the orphan to get up when she herself did, and carefully darkened the room in hopes she might sleep a little in the cool of the morning, but when she crept as quietly as she could to the door about breakfast time, she found Amy ready dressed in the worn black frock, and led her into the large kitchen, where the family had assembled for breakfast. Although Branxholm possessed some good rooms, it was convenient to take breakfast and dinner in the kitchen, and the old custom had been kept up when here was little necessity for it. Amy timidly went up to Mrs. Lindsey, shook hands