side, but I cried inside; and I told you and you said:
'Don't you care! I don't get to go to boardin'-school myself.'

"And when I was fool enough to think I liked that no-account Luella
Thickins, and thought I'd go crazy because her wax-doll face wouldn't
smile for me, you said: 'Don't you care, Eddie! You're much too good for
her. I think you're the finest man in the country.'

"And when the baby didn't come and I acted like a baby myself, you said:
'Don't you care, Eddie! Ain't we got each other?'

"Seems like ev'ry time I been ready to lay down and die you've been
there with your old 'Don't you care! It's going to be all right!'

"Just last night I had a turrible dream. I didn't tell you about it for
fear it would upset you. I dreamed I got awful sick at the office. I
couldn't seem to add the figures right and the old desk wabbled. Finally
I had to leave off and start for home, though it was only a quarter of
twelve; and I had to set down on Doc Noxon's horse-block and on
Holdredge's wall to rest; and I couldn't get our gate open. And you run
out and dragged me in, and got me up-stairs somehow, and sent Delia
around for the doctor.

"Doc Noxon made you have a trained nurse, but I couldn't stand her; and
I wouldn't take medicine from anybody but you. I don't suppose I was
dreamin' more 'n a few minutes, all told; but it seemed like I laid
there for weeks, till one day Doc Noxon called you out of the room. I
couldn't hear what he was saying, but I heard you let out one horrible
scream, and then I heard sounds like he was chokin' you, and you kept
sayin': 'Oh no! No! No!'

"I tried to go and help you, but I couldn't lift my head. By and by you
come back, with your eyes all red. Doc Noxon was with you and he called
the nurse over to him. You come to me and tried to smile; and you said:

"'Well, honey, how are you now?'

"Then I knew what the doctor had told you and I was worse scared than
when the black dawg jumped at me. I tried to be brave, but I never could
seem to be. I put out my hands to you and hollered:

"'Pheeny, I'm goin' to die! I know I'm goin' to die! Don't let me go!
I'm afraid to die!'"

Now the hands clenched his with a frenzy that hurt--but beautifully.
And he kissed the wedding-ring as he finished:

"And you dropped down to me on the floor by the bed and took my
hands--just like that. And you whispered: 'Don't you care, honey! I'll
go with you. Don't you care!'

"And the fever seemed to c