News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1913-12-17
CHAPTER v.

l got up and dressed. l put on two
pairs of stockings and heavy shoes, fol-
l knew was going to do the Eskimo
act again that day and goodness
knows how many days more, and then
l went down and knocked at the door
OF Miss Patty's room. She hadn't been
sleeping, either. She called to me in
an undertone to come in, and she was
lying propped up with pillows, with
something pink around her shoulders
and the night lamp burning beside the
| bed.
| walked over to the foot of the bed.
They're here" | said.
She sat up, and some letters slid to
the floor.
They're here!" she repeated. do
you mean Dorothy?"
She and her husband. They came
here last night at five minutes to
twelve. Their train was held up by
the blizzard and they won't come in
until they see you. They're hiding
in the shelter-house on the golf links"
think she thought I was crazy: l
looked it. She hoped out of bed and
closed the door into her sitting-room-
Mrs. Hutchins' (Patty's old nurse)
room opened off it-and then she came
over and put her hand on my arm.
VIII you sit down and try to tell
me just what you mean?" she said.
How can my sister and her-her
wretch of husband have come last
night at midnight when l saw Mr. Car
ter myself not later than ten o'clock?"
Wei, l had to tell her then about
who Mr.. Pierce was and why had to
get him, and she understood almost
ct once. She was the most understand
ing girl ever met. She saw at once
what Mr.. Sam wouldn't have known
III thousand years-that l wanted to
save the old place-not to keep my po-
sition-but because I'd been there so
long, and my father before me, and had
helped to make it what it was and
all that.
"But here I am" l finished, telling
you about my troubles and forgetting
what | came for. You'll have to go
out to the shelter-house, Miss Patty.
And | guess you're expected to fix it
up with your father"
She stopped christening her Eng
braids of hair.
Certainly I'll go to the shelter
house." she said, "and I'll shake a
little sense into Dorothy Jennings
the abominable little idiot! But they
needn't think I'm going to help them
with father; I wouldn't if l could, and
/ can't. He won't speak to me- I'm
in disgrace, Minnie" She gave her
hair shake, twisted it into a rope and
then a knot, and stuck pin in it. 1t
was lovely: l wish Miss Cobb could
have seen her you've known father
for years, Minnie: have you ever
known him to be $3.50"
"Devilish," was the word she meant,
but finished for her.
Unreasonable? ?" said. "Well, once
before when you were a little girl, he
put his cane through a window in the
spring-house, because he thought it
needed air. The spring house, of
course, not the cane"
Exactly" .she said, looking around
the room, END now he's putting a
cane through every plan 1 have
mede."
Well, l left her to get dressed and
went to the kitchen. Title was there
getting the beef tea ready for the DAY.
but none of the rest was around. It'll
lie," l said, "can you trust me?"
She looked up from her beef.
whether l can or not, I always
have" she answered.
"Well, can trust you? That's more
to the point"
She put down her knife and came
over to me, with her HANDS on her hips.
"Tillie, l don't want you to ask me
any questions, but l want four raw
eggs in a basket, a pot Of coffee and
cream, some fruit if you can get it
when the chef unlocks the refrigerator |
room, and bread and butter. They can
make their own toast"
"They?" she said, with her mouth !
open.
But l didn't explain any more. l I
scrubbed a note to Mr. Van Alstyne,
telling what had happened, and put it
under his door, and then l met Miss
Patty in the hall by the billiard room
and | gave her some coffee from the
basket, in the sun parlor. 1t was all
dark. although it was nearly eight
oclock, and nobody saw us go out to-
gether. 1t was still showing, but not
so much, and the tracks we had made
early in the morning were still there,
mine off to one side alone, and the
others close together and side by side.
Miss Patty did not say much. She
vas holding her chin high and look
ne rather angry and determined.
They were both asleep in the shell
er-house. He was propped up against
he wall on a box, with the rubber
,arriage robe around him, and she was !
wing by the fire, with Mrs. Moody's
.hawl over her and her muff under
Ter head. Miss Patty stood in the
doorway for an instant. Then she
walked over and, leaning down, shook
Ter sister by the arm.
"Dorothy!" she said. wake up,
ON wretchsd child" And shook her
gain.
Mrs. Dicky groaned and yawned, and
-