But there was no answer, nor did the bundle of rags stir.
"Nell! Nell!" She called to deaf ears.

Then she put her hand on the child and raised one of the arms.

It dropped away limp as a withered stalk, showing the ashen white face across which it had lain.
The two women manifested no excitement.

The child had fainted or was dead--which, they did not know.

Norah straightened out the wasted little form and turned up the face.