now it. Now take that basket and go! Do
not let me see you again until you can inform me truthfully that Rachel
has received it. Beatrice, I charge you particularly with the duty."

He turned from them so decidedly that they had no alternative but to
leave the room, taking the basket with them.

"You needn't say a word, Bee," cried Adele avoiding her cousin's glance.
"I'm not going to take another scolding."

"I'm not going to scold, Adele, but why did you not tell me that you did
not want to go?"

"Oh, it's all my fault of course. Here! give me that basket. You needn't
go!"

"But I will," said Beatrice with decision. "I am not going to give
father a chance to say that I am to blame again. I am going to see that
the thing is done. The basket will have to be fixed over anyway."

"We'll both go," said Adele. "If you won't scold, I'll carry it. I
suppose that I ought to do something for getting us into the scrape. I
didn't know that Uncle William would care so much. Oh, my! wasn't he
mad?"

Bee made no reply. She rearranged the contents of the basket, added some
fresh eggs and other things, and together they started for Rachel's
cabin. It was very warm, but they toiled along the dusty road with the
conviction that whatever of discomfort they experienced they merited it.
They were grateful when they could leave the road and enter the shaded
wood path that led to the cabin. Soon they could discern the chimney of
the dwelling through the trees; then a turn in the path brought them
into the cleared space where the hut stood. They were proceeding toward
it when all at once Bee stood stock still.

"Look!" she cried.

Adele's glance followed her pointing finger, and every drop of blood
left her face. There upon the closed door of the cabin was a big yellow
sign "SMALL POX." For one long moment the two stood looking at the card;
then Adele clutched her cousin's arm.

"Come," she whispered fearfully. "We must get away. We can't go there
now."

"We've got to," answered Bee grimly, but her face grew white as she said
it. "We've got to, Adele. If she's been sick long she wouldn't have
anything to eat. Father would never get over it. Besides he told us he
didn't want to see us again unless she got the basket."

"Oh, Bee! I can't! I can't go! Suppose I should get the small pox."

The tears streamed from Adele's eyes. Bee turned and looked at the girl
earnestly. Her eyes shone through her tears like violets wet with dew.