Had she been a little older she would already have been troubled by another anxiety; for the last two years her mother's health had been falling away; every now and then had come a fit of illness, and at other times Lotty suffered from a depression of spirits which left her no energy to move about.

Ida knew that her mother was often unhappy, but naturally could not dwell long on this as soon as each successive occasion had passed away.

Indeed, in her heart, she almost welcomed such times, since she was then allowed to sleep upstairs, one of her greatest joys.

Lotty was only too well aware of the physical weakness which was gaining upon her.

She was mentally troubled, moreover.