hair, "you don't need to worry any more; we shall get
on now. I'm sure she's a little better to-day; don't you think so?" He
appealed to Nancy, wistfully.

"Yes; I think she is," said Nancy stoutly, moving her head in awkward
defiance of her own words.

"There, Flora, that's just what the doctor said," pleaded the husband.

The young wife clung to the older woman desperately.

"Oh, do you think so?" she faltered. "You know, I never _could_ stand
it. She's all--well, of course, there's the baby--but--oh--you see--you
know--I never could bear it!" She broke down again, sobbing, with her
arms about Nancy's neck.

"Yes, you can bear it," said Nancy. "You can bear it if you have to, but
you ain't a-goin' to have to--she's a-goin' to get well. An' you've got
your man--you ought to recollect that"--she stifled a sob--"he seems
well an' hearty."

The young wife raised her head and looked at her husband with tearful
scorn. He met her gaze meekly, with that ready self-effacement which
husbands seem to feel in the presence of maternity.

"Have you two poor things been here all alone?" asked Nancy.

"Yes," sobbed the girl-wife, this time on her husband's shoulder;
"everybody was afraid,--we couldn't get any one,--and I don't know
anything. You're the first woman I've seen since--oh, it's been _so_
long!"

"Well, you're all nervous and worn out and half starved," announced
Nancy, untying her bonnet-strings. "I've had sickness, but I've never
been this bad off. Now, you just take care of the little girl, and I'll
take care of you."

It was a caretaking like the sudden stilling of the tempest that came to
the little household. The father and mother would not have said that the
rest and order that pervaded the house, and finally crept into the room
where the sick child lay, came from a homely woman with an ill-fitting
dress and hard, knotted hands. To them she seemed the impersonation of
beauty and peace on earth.

That night Nancy wrote to her husband. The letter was not very explicit,
but limited expression seems to have its compensations. There are
comparatively few misunderstandings among the animals that do not write
at all. To Robert the letter seemed entirely satisfactory. This is what
she wrote:--

I have not had much time to see about the Morgage. One of their
children is very sick and I will have to stay a few days. If the
cough medisine gives out tell mother the directions is up by the
Cl