NELL was very happy, and prospering beyond her wildest dreams.
Fortunately for her the early part of the winter was exceptionally mild and open, so that mining operations went busily forward, and she had no lack of customers nightly to consume the food which she spent her days in cooking.
The great burden of maintaining the family rested almost entirely upon her, for Mrs. Lorimer was so ill that most of Gertrude’s time was taken up in nursing and caring for the poor invalid. Patsey was away all day at Bratley, except on Saturdays, when he was chopping and hauling wood, or on Sundays, when he took Teddy and Flossie over to the Settlement in the wood-truck, to attend the Sunday School which was held there in the tin-roofed mission hall by the smelter works.
Despite her hard work, and the drudgery of her days, Nell carried a bright face all the time, feeling herself supremely blessed in having so many depending on her, so many to love, and to love her in return.
She possessed, too, the happy knack of finding employment for everyone, so Teddy, aged five, and little Abe, the baby, both had their accustomed tasks, which they performed with a zest and energy worthy of great undertakings.
Abe was two years and a half old now, a fine sturdy youngster, who loved nothing better than movement of some kind, so he and Teddy between them dragged wood into the kitchen from the wood shed, with much snorting and hissing, in imitation of the engines arriving and starting at the depot.
Both of the small boys yielded Nell a whole-hearted devotion, and followed her about nearly all day long. But it was Flossie’s love which was the most precious to Nell, and had her life been twice as hard, she would still have felt herself amply repaid in the affection she received from her adopted family.
Dr. Russell came regularly once a week to see Mrs. Lorimer, who grew rather worse than better as the weeks went on.
Mrs. Nichols had been to see them once, but she was ailing herself, and not able to get out much.
When Christmas had passed, and the new year had begun, a heavy snow fell, and lay for three weeks. Then came a check in Nell’s business, so many of her customers took holiday, and went off to the towns until the weather broke again.