“Yes, sir, Ezra will be right with you,” said that person, “and moreover this young miss isn’t to go; she isn’t fit, all bruised up as she is. You won’t be alone, bless you, child. There ain’t a kinder woman in the country than Mrs. Sadtler, and she’ll mother you fine. You’ll be all right in no time. No, you don’t!” he stopped Jessie from climbing into the wagon. Mark had unfastened Dapple Gray and had tied him to the hitching-post. “We’ll go for the cart after a while,” said Ezra gathering up the reins. “You wait here, child, and I’ll be back as quick as I can.” So Jessie was obliged to see Adele drive off while she was left to Kitty’s tender mercies.
CHAPTER IX
The Gray Kitten
CHAPTER IX
The Gray Kitten
It was a very subdued and wan little Adele who was helped into the house by the doctor, who remained to explain the situation, while Ezra took Jessie home. Poor Miss Betty was overcome at sight of her niece with her arm in splints and looking so pale. “Child! child!” she cried. “What has happened? We have been so anxious about you. At first we thought you had gone home with Jessie, but Otto said he saw you driving in an opposite direction.” She turned to the doctor. “What has happened?” she asked tremulously.
“It seems the young ladies were crossing the track just there by the cut and the wheel caught in the track, upsetting their cart and throwing them out. Fortunately there is no worse damage done than a broken arm and a broken cart.”
“The horse ran away!” exclaimed Miss Betty.
“Not a bit of it. Fine little beast that he is, he stood stock still. Little Loomis girl was thrown into some bushes. She was stunned by the fall, but seems all right otherwise except for a few bruises. She was a little Trojan, Ezra Limpett tells me, and tramped across that dangerous railroad bridge to get help. You’d better have this child put to bed, Miss Hallett, and I see you look rather the worse for wear yourself.”
“I’ve had one of my headaches,” replied Miss Betty, passing her hand over her forehead.
“Humph! Fine time to take for explorations. I gather that’s what the youngsters were doing. At least my wife says so.” The doctor spoke as if he had no patience with such doings.
Miss Betty turned a troubled face upon Adele. “Oh, my child, how could you?” she exclaimed. “Didn’t you know we do not allow you to go out of sight of the house?”