"all beat out,"
for she had begun at three, and steamed through her work, to have an
early supper at five.

"There, Mary Dunbar!" cried she; "I said I'd do it, an' I have. There
ain't a neighbor got into this house for weeks, an' folks that want you
to go nussin' have been turned away. I says to Adam, this very
afternoon, 'I'll be whipped if I don't git in an' see what's goin' on!'
There's some will have it Johnnie's got well, an' drove away without
saying good-by to his own folks, an' some say he ain't likely to live,
an' there he lays without a last word to his own brother! As for the
childern, they've got an idea suthin' 's been done to uncle Johnnie, an'
you can't mention him but they cry."

Mary rose calmly and began clearing her table. "I guess I wouldn't
mention him, then," said she.

A muffled sound came from the bedroom. It might have been laughter. Then
there was a little crack, and Mary involuntarily looked at the lamp
chimney. She hurried into the bedroom, and stopped short at sight of her
patient, lying there in the light of the flickering fire. His face had
flushed, and his eyes were streaming.

"I laughed so," he said chokingly. "She always makes me. And something
snapped into place in my neck. I don't know what it was,--but _I can
move_!"

He held out his hand to her. Mary did not touch it; she only stood
looking at him with a wonderful gaze of pride and recognition, and yet a
strange timidity. She, too, flushed, and tears stood in her eyes.

"I'll go and tell Mattie," said she, turning toward the door. "You want
to see her?"

"For God's sake, no! not till I'm on my feet." He was still laughing. "I
guess I can get up to-morrow."

Mary went swiftly out, and shut the door behind her.

"I guess you better not see him to-night," she said. "You can come in
to-morrer. I shouldn't wonder if he'd be up then."

"I told Adam"--began Mattie, but Mary put a hand on her thin little arm,
and held it there.

"I'd rather talk to-morrer," said she gently. "Don't you come in before
'leven; but you come. Tell Adam to, if he wants. I guess your brother'll
be gettin' away before long." She opened the outer door, and Mattie had
no volition but to go. "It's a nice night, ain't it?" called Mary
cheerfully, after her. "Seems as if there never was so many stars."

Then she went back into the kitchen, and with the old thrift and
exactitude prepared her patient's supper. He was sitting upright,
bolstered against the