Benson had just come in), "is not this too bad of Ruth? here she
is planning to go away and leave us, just as we--as I, at
least--have grown so fond of baby, and he's beginning to know
me."
"Where were you thinking of going to, Ruth?" interrupted Mr.
Benson, with mild surprise.
"Anywhere to be near you and Miss Benson; in any poor cottage
where I might lodge very cheaply, and earn my livelihood by
taking in plain sewing, and perhaps a little dressmaking; and
where I could come and see you and dear Miss Benson sometimes and
bring baby."
"If he was not dead before then of some fever, or burn, or scald,
poor neglected child, or you had not worked yourself to death
with never sleeping" said Miss Benson.
Mr. Benson thought a minute or two, and then he spoke to Ruth--
"Whatever you may do when this little fellow is a year old, and
able to dispense with some of a mother's care, let me beg you,
Ruth, as a favour to me--as a still greater favour to my sister,
is it not, Faith?"
"Yes; you may put it so if you like."
"To stay with us," continued he, "till then. When baby is twelve
months old, we'll talk about it again, and very likely before
then some opening may be shown us. Never fear leading an idle
life, Ruth. We'll treat you as a daughter, and set you all the
household tasks; and it is not for your sake that we ask you to
stay, but for this little dumb helpless child's: and it is not
for our sake that you must stay, but for his.
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