Page:Milady at Arms (1937).pdf/290

 from lack of sleep, watched Mistress Williams drag the back of her hand dazedly across her forehead as she stood at one end of the long table thumping a flatiron to and fro. Sally staggered over to her.

"Nay, let me iron awhile! See I am not a bit weary!" she said, trying to straighten her tired young shoulders.

But Mistress Williams shook her head. "Nay," she said resolutely. "I will finish! Do ye rest awhile, Sally, till the bake oven be ready, then will I call ye!" She glanced at her husband sorting over papers, tearing up others, writing, at the other end of the table. "Can ye not rest awhile, too, Nathaniel?" she asked wistfully.

But Nathaniel Williams shook his head and turned in his armchair to look at her. The candle flame between them gave her face an unearthly beauty, and he sighed, then smiled at her. "I must leave my affairs all i' order, Mary!" he said. "At least," he sighed again sadly. "I can do that much for ye!"

"Ye be a good man," returned his wife affectionately, ironing with meticulous care the ruffles upon his best shirt. "An only ye could see the nobility o' our patriot cause and so remain at home wi' us!"

But, at that, a cloud passed over his face. "Nay," he said, "let us not spend our last hours together wi' argument!" he protested. And there was a brief silence.