The smile changed to a sigh as her thoughts went backward. The old life had been very lonely and narrow; it was delightful to think how things had changed for her since then. It all seemed so far away now, but she remembered every minute of the day; how Pip had been so badly mauled, how her disappointment at not being able to have the key of her mother’s box had made her miserable, then how the stranger had come to collapse on the doorstep.
But she did not wish to remember anything about the stranger, so she dismissed the subject with a shrug, and tried to think of something else.
The day passed much as other days had done, except that there seemed more work than usual to do, and Joey Trip was weaker and less able to move the big packages.
“The old fellow ought to be superannuated, that is certain,” said the conductor of the evening train, when he and the fireman had to unload the freight which the old man should have handled.
But Joey was nowhere to be seen, and application to Mrs. Trip had produced the information that Joey was not well, and could not leave his bed. Then the men, who really needed instruction as to where to place the different sorts of merchandise which were being taken out of the freight cars, had to appeal to Nell for advice.
She was sewing in her office, and came at once when asked for assistance, but she looked genuinely surprised at being told that Joey was ill and unable to leave his bed, for she had seen him take the road to the Settlement about an hour before the cars came in.
However, concerning this she said nothing, for of course he might have returned and been taken poorly since that time.
Reaching down her big apron, she went out with the men, listened to what they had to say about the freight, then gave her own opinion as to where it should be placed.
The floor of the big shed had been raised to the level of a freight wagon, which was most useful for purposes of loading and unloading.
“I suppose this place is safe enough; locks up properly at night, and all that?” the conductor asked rather uneasily, when the fireman had gone back to his engine, and Nell was preparing to shut the great double doors.