As he came up the road to their house his heart beat so that he could not hear his own steps.
II They entered the house, and at once even Mary, preoccupied as she was with her story about the sailor, noticed that something was wrong.
"Rose! Rose!" she called out loudly.
"Hush!" said Miss Jones.

"You must be quiet, dear." "Why ?" said Mary.

"I want Rose to--" "Your mother isn't at all well, dear.

I--" And she was interrupted by Rose, who, coming suddenly downstairs, with a face very different from her usual cheerful one, said something to Miss Jones in a low voice.
Miss Jones gave a little cry: "So soon ?...

A girl...." And then added: "How is she ?" Then Rose said something more, which the children could not catch, and vanished.
"Very quietly, children," said Miss Jones, in a voice that trembled; "and you mustn't leave the schoolroom till I tell you.