Page:Lippincotts Monthly Magazine-70.djvu/775

Rh Abner looked out of the window. He cleared his throat. Then he nodded without speaking.

Melissa's face grew awed. "Don't seem's if they ought to bring her way up here—in this snow." She glanced at the cold window. "It'll, likely, kill her."

"The doctor says nothin' will hurt her now," said Abner gruffly.

"Is she so bad?"

He nodded again without speaking.

Melissa sighed softly. "Poor Aunt Nancy! How'd it happen, Abner?"

"She got thrown out of her automobile—run into somethin' and upset."

"Her automobile! In the snow!"

"There ain't any snow down on the plain. She's been ridin' every day, right along. She was possessed about it,—wore a sweater, you know, an' thick things."

Melissa shook her head. "I can't seem to understand it, Abner—her actin' so."

"I can. She was a kind of child. I never see a child so tickled over anything as she was over that carriage thing when I was down there. She'd waited a good many years."

Melissa glanced hurriedly at the window. "They're coming," she said. "I must put in the other soapstone." She moved away to the bedroom, her eyes filling with quick tears.

When the slow procession came up the long, straight walk she was waiting at the door with a smiling face.

A pair of black eyes looked up from the bundled figure on the stretcher.

Melissa bent over it tenderly.

"How-de-do, Melissy?" The muffled voice came faintly out of the wrappings. "It ain't very level goin' up here."

Melissa's mouth quivered, but her eyes smiled. "It's pretty hilly, isn't it. Aunt Nancy?" She spoke in a loud voice, as if to a deaf person. "Bring her in this way," she said to the men, lowering her voice.

They stamped the snow from their feet and crossed the sitting-room to the bedroom door.

The keen, black eyes from their wrappings darted at each familiar object as they passed.

Half an hour later, propped up in the big four-poster, Aunt Nancy beamed cheerfully upon the room.

"Looks pretty comfortable, don't it?" she said.

Melissa nodded.

Aunt Nancy looked at her sharply. The black eyes twinkled. "Now, don't you feel bad, Melissy Suncook," she said quaintly, "I'm