"Because you drink beer, I s'pose."
"But if I ain't going to touch of it agen?"
"If you had a wife and a cottage," said Harebell craftily, "I'm sure I could come and see you then. You will let me find them for you, Tom, won't you?"
"Oh, I'll give you leave to look for 'em!" Tom's eyes were twinkling again. He added:
"My little sister come to see me this morning!"
"Oh, did she? I quite forgot about her, and what does your mother think of your accident?"
"She's proper upset. Hessie be too good for her'n me. Mother says she'd like to get away from her times, and that's what I feels, too!"
"I love Miss Triggs! I think she's sweet!"
Harebell was very loyal to her friends. Then, with a child's pertinacity, she came back to the subject that never left her thoughts.
"You must get through that Door, Tom; you can get through, as you lie in bed."