“Perhaps you would like to come, also,” Mrs. Holt said, rather timidly it seemed, turning to Elsa.
“O, yes, I should,” cried Elsa eagerly. “I think you are very kind to little girls, and,” she added shyly, trying to be very polite, “you—you have beautiful flowers.”
“Children and flowers—I’ve never had enough of them yet,” exclaimed Mrs. Holt, stooping suddenly to kiss Elsa’s upturned face.
It was snowing hard. Ben tucked Miss Ruth and Elsa into the back seat and then mounted to the front seat. Mrs. Holt, Alice, and Betty waved good-bye from the front windows, Miss Ruth and Elsa waved back as long as they could see the house; and the gay, pleasant meeting was over.
Elsa was always so happy in being with Miss Ruth that once the pang of leaving had vanished, she settled down with a contented sigh. It was a beautiful time to be out-of-doors. Now that the snow was falling in thick soft flakes, the chill had gone out of the air. The tall evergreen trees drooped under their heavy white cloaks. In the west there was a faint rosy tinge from the light of the setting sun. Now and then a loud-cawing crow flew overhead, and once, by the roadside, they saw a hungry blue-jay flirt the snow off from a tall brown weed and begin to pick out and eat the seeds.
The three talked awhile of the sights and sounds around them. Then Ben turned his entire attention to Jerry, who needed constant urging for this journey away from home, at the end of the day.
“I asked Miss Hartwell a day or two ago about the nurse Bettina; and her name is Bettina March,” Miss Ruth said, unexpectedly.
“O my Bettina!” cried Elsa, with a little gasp. “And is she coming back?”
“Possibly,” Miss Ruth replied. “She was at the Convalescent Home only about six weeks, and went away because she was not very well; but if she is better, she is coming back about Christmas-time.”
“Then I shall see her,—grandmother will surely let me see her; but it won’t be for three whole weeks!” The little thrill of disappointment in Elsa’s voice told Ruth Warren better than words could have told, how dearly Elsa loved her old nurse.