"No," I said, "he cannot promise that. Still, he did not say positively that you never could or would. He only spoke doubtfully. You must try to leave the matter as he left it. There is room for prayer and for hope."
"And hope's a wonderful help," Murchison said, almost cheerfully. "Yes, thank you, ma'am, I'll try to hope." Then he added, "But my poor little woman!"
So he thought most of her in this trouble, and she thought most of him. I could but wish that all husbands and wives were like-spirited.
[CHAPTER VI.]
A STEP ONWARD.
MRS. MURCHISON'S STORY.
AFTER once I got to Mrs. Coles' cottage that first day, I don't seem to have but a dim memory of what came next. Looking back to those weeks, is like looking at a lot of trees ever so far off, which all run and mix together, so that one can't see them apart. Ever so many things happened, but I can't rightly piece them out.
I know Louey got better soon, and was up and about again. And I know one day my little Bessie was taken away, and laid to rest in the Churchyard. And I know Miles began to work at the Rectory under old Nichols, which wasn't the manner of life I'd expected for my boy, and yet it seemed we'd no choice. And I know I had a deal of pain in my shoulder, before I got over the blow I'd had. And I know how good and kind Mr. and Mrs. Kingscote were, coming in and out, and giving me a lot of help that I was ashamed to take it.
It wasn't many days before my husband's sense came back, and I know what joy it was to be told that his head wasn't much hurt; not near so much as we'd feared at first. I thought he'd get well fast, and everything would soon be all right again.
Then, as time went on, it seemed odd he didn't get back strength in his legs—for he didn't. He had no more strength in them than a baby; no, nor near so much, for he couldn't stir either. He wasn't able to lift his head from the pillow, for all it was grown sensible again, and he'd little enough power in the arm that wasn't broken. It was natural he should be weak, and I wasn't surprised; but it did surprise me that when he began to seem better in himself, there was no manner of change in the helplessness.