'Hallo!' Tom cried, as his mother came in, followed by Harold and Jerry.
'Hallo, what's up?' And throwing aside the slate on which he had been
trying to master the difficulties of a sum in long division, he went
toward them, and said: 'Has the coroner come, and can't I go and see the
inquest? You said maybe I could if I behaved, and I do, don't I, Miss
Howard?'
Just then he caught sight of Jerry, and stopping short, exclaimed:
'By Jingo! ain't she pretty! I mean to kiss her.'
And he made a movement toward the little face, which looked up so shyly
at him. But his mother caught his arm and held him back, as she said,
sharply:
'Don't touch her, there is no tolling what you may catch. I wanted her
to go to the kitchen, the proper place for her, but your father insisted
that she should be brought here. I hope, Miss Howard, you will see that
she does not go near the children.'
'Yes, Madam,' Miss Howard replied, 'but I am sure there can be no
danger. She looks as clean and sweet as a rose.'
Miss Howard was fond of children, and she held out her hand to the
little girl, who seemed to have a most wonderful faculty for
discriminating between friends and enemies, and who went to her readily,
and leaning against her arm, looked curiously at the group of
children--at Tom, and Jack, and Maude, the latter of whom wished to go
to her, but was restrained by the nurse.
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