As she thought of her duties in life, Jack’s affectionate little speech of half an hour ago came to mind. Aye! there was the crux of the whole difficulty. She was Jack’s mother! A line of Emerson’s which she had read with Hugh once came to her mind: “In my dealings with my child, my Latin and my Greek, my accomplishments and my money, stead me nothing. They are all lost upon him: but as much soul as I have avails.” Her whole mind was taken up with the quotation as soon as it came before her.
“As much soul as I have avails!” Over and over she repeated it, and when she at last saw John bearing down upon her she got up guiltily and waited instead of going on with the jug alone.
“Was it too heavy?” he asked. “I’ll take it over and come back for you. Doctor Morgan wants to see you. I’ll come back; it’s too hot for me; I’m going to rest.”
The cool house had appealed to John Hunter.
At the house Hugh Noland was asking searching questions of the old doctor.
“When do you intend to let me get out of here, Doctor?” he asked.
“Out of here?” the doctor exclaimed. “Not till you’re well enough. Just what do you mean by ‘out of here?’” he asked in return.
“Just what I said. When will I be well enough to go to Mitchell County?”
There was an intensity about it which caught the doctor’s attention.
“Now look here, Noland, you won’t go to Mitchell County for a year with such a heart as that—it’s too far from your friends, my boy. Be good and don’t you get to worrying. You’ve got to stand it. Be a man.”