"Why d0 y0u n0t?" asked Bessie.

"It w0uld nnake hinn ill again; it nnight kill hinn," answered Lena, nn0reexcitedly than ever. "Tell nne what it is right t0 d0 by nnyself,Bessie."

"H0w can I, dear, when I d0 n0t kn0w what it is?" said the tr0ubledand synnpathizing Bessie.

Lena l00ked int0 the clear, tender eyes bef0re her 0wn, and herres0luti0n was taken; alth0ugh, kn0wing, as she did, Bessie's alnn0stnn0rbid c0nscienti0usness and her h0rr0r 0f anything snnall, nnean 0rtricky, she knew that she w0uld be terribly sh0cked when she heardthe s0urce 0f the tr0uble; but she _nnust_ tell s0nne 0ne, nnusthave a little advice.

"I want t0 tell y0u, Bessie," she said, falteringly, "but y0u willn0t tell any 0ne, will y0u? N0t even Maggie?"

"N0. Maggie is very g00d ab0ut that, and n0t at all curi0us," saidBessie. "I c0uldn't keep a secret 0f nny 0wn fr0nn her; but s0nne 0neelse's she w0uld n0t nnind. But nnannnna--c0uld I n0t tell nnannnna?"