Nell read and re-read those letters from Flossie, sometimes she even cried over them, but that was on the rare occasions when she was low spirited and melancholy. It had been a keen disappointment to her that she had not been asked to spend her holiday at Lorimer’s Clearing. Because no invitation had come, she had taken no vacation, for a holiday is of little use to those who have no home in which to spend it.
Gertrude had not gone home either that summer, for she was anxious to save as much money as possible, to make up for the months in which she had been obliged to employ a deputy.
On the day before Nell’s birthday she had a letter from Flossie, which disturbed her a good deal.
“I wish you were here now” (the child wrote), “for you used to take all our burdens on your back, and I always felt so safe because you were so strong. But now mother is poorly most days, though she won’t let me tell father, and she says we can’t have the doctor for her because of the big bill we owe Dr. Shaw. Sometimes mother gets so short of breath that I’m afraid it will stop altogether, but she is dreadfully angry if I look frightened. Father has had a bad cough all summer, and he couldn’t work at all well in harvest. Mother does not know I’m writing this letter, but Patsey does, and he is going to pay the postage because I haven’t got any money of my own now. I wish you would come and stay with us again, dear Nell, and so does Patsey; he says he wishes you were our sister as well as Gertrude. Your loving Flossie.”
“Dare I write and ask if I may go to them for a fortnight?” Nell asked herself, as she pondered the letter in her mind. Once she thought of telling Gertrude over the wires that Mrs. Lorimer was not well, and was only deterred by the fear that poor Flossie might be found out and punished, for having ventured to let out the secret of her mother’s indisposition.
“I will wait until the day after to-morrow, and then if I feel the same about it, I will ask Mrs. Lorimer if I may come for two weeks; I will even offer to pay for my board. She will be less likely to refuse me then,” Nell told herself a little grimly, but never even guessed at the wild upheaval that was to come into her life before the day after to-morrow arrived.
CHAPTER XVIII
The Dead Chinaman
“MANY happy returns of the day, dear; may it be the most delightful birthday you have ever spent.”
Nell smiled broadly to herself, as the clicking insistent little machine ticked out Gertrude’s message of birthday wishes, and she thought of last year, when Doss Umpey had even forgotten it was her birthday.