The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-11-05
CHAPTER IV-Continued

from her shoulder and dashed out of
the house. She ran through the snow
to a giant pine by the gate and beat
her fists against it for how long she
did not know Pain in her bruised
hands and the intense cold finally
brought her to her senses. A self
control that was partly inherent and
partly the result of too early knowl-
edge of grief came to her rescue.
With long sigh, she walked steadily
into the house and into the room
where the baby sister lay in stupor,
breathing stertorously.
The doctor and Amos were there.
Mrs. Norton was now soothing Lizzie
In the kitchen, now obeying the doc
tors orders. Amos did not stir from
his chair by the bed, nor speak
word, all that night. The doctor was
in his shirt sleeves, prepared to fight
as best he could.
go out, LYDIA" said Doctor Fulton,
quietly.
She'll want me-" replied the child.
"She's in a stupor and won't miss
you, Lydia. She Is not suffering at
all. Now, l want you to go to bed
like good girl"
al won't" said Lydia, quietly.
LYDIA" the doctor went on, as II
he were talking to a grown person,
call your life you will be grateful to
me, if l make you obey me now. /
know those wild nerves Of yours, too
much and too early controlled. Lydia,
go to bed!"
Not because she feared him but be-
cause some knowledge beyond her
years told her of his wisdom, Lydia
turned, found Florence Dembey in the
living room and with her and blan-
ket, crept under her fathers bed, into
the farthest corner where she lay
wide-eyed until dawn. Someone closed
the door into the room then, and short
ly, she fell asleep.
In three days, the like of which
are the longest, the shortest days of
life. the house had returned to the
remnant of its old routine. The place
had been fumigated. Lydia had
placed In her bedroom everything that
had belonged to the baby, had locked
the door and had moved herself into
Lizzie's room. Amos departed before
dawn as usual with his dinner pail,
stumbling like an old man, over the
road.
The quarantine sign was on the
house and no one but the undertaken,
the doctor, Mrs. Norton and John Le-
vine had been allowed to come to see
the stricken little family, excepting
the minister.
Lydia and Lizzie put In the morning
cleaning the cottage. Never since they
had lived In 1t had the little house been
so spick and span. At noon, they sat
down to lunch in a splendor of cleanli-
ness that made the place seem stran-
ger than ever to them both. Neither
talked much. At intervals, tears ran
down old Lizzie's wrinkled cheeks
and Lydia looked at her wonderingly.
Lydia had not shed tear. But all
the time her cheeks were scarlet, her
hands were cold and trembled and her
stomach ached.
''You must eat, childie. You haven't
eat enough to keep bird alive since
since"
There was bang on the door, and
Lizzie trundled over to open 1t.
"For the Lerd's sake, Kentl"
Kent 1t WAS, big and rosy with his
skates over his shoulders. He walked
snto +bo Ia,-tor rnnr. 1o1thorofalr
Hello, LYDIA" he said, II came oul
to see your Christmas presents"
Lydia clasped her hands. "Oh
Kent, I'm so glad But you CAM
stayi We're quarantined"
what the seventeen thunder-bu
do l care" returned Kent, gruffiy
looking away from Lydia's appealing
eyes.
Lydia laughed. as she always did al
Kents astonishing oaths. At the
sound of the laughter, cid Lizzie CAV.
q sigh as though some Of her owl
tense nerves had relaxed.
Now see here" growled Kent
they've got no business to shut yot
up this way. You come out and skate
for while. We won't meet anybod.
at this end of the lake."
"Just the thing, quarantine or not I
exclaimed Lizzie, briskly. "And II
cook a surprise for the two of you
Keep her out an hour, Kent"
Lydia silently got into oyercoat ant
leggings and pulled on her Tan
s'Shsnter. She brought her skate