"
The girl tried to shake off the distress which the last incident had
perhaps chiefly occasioned. It was natural that her own little sorrow
should be uppermost, but the heart that held it was too deep to hold
her personal sorrow only.
Rotha stepped into the room adjoining, which for her convenience, as
well as that of the invalid, had been made the bedroom of Mrs. Ray.
Placid and even radiant in its peacefulness lay the face of Ralph's
mother. There was not even visible at this moment the troubled
expression which, to Rotha's mind, denoted the baffled effort to say,
"God bless you!" Thank God, she at least was unconscious of what had
happened and was still happening! It was with the thought of her
alone--the weak, unconscious sufferer, near to death--that Rotha had
said that worse might occur. Such an eviction from house and home
might bring death yet nearer. To be turned into the road, without
shelter--whether justly or unjustly, what could it matter? --this
would be death itself to the poor creature that lay here.
No, it could not, it should not happen, if she had power to prevent
it.
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