Mary Louise flushed a trifle at the praise; she didn’t know exactly what to say, so she kept quiet and waited.
“Will you do something for me?” asked the old lady.
“Yes, of course, Miss Grant,” replied Mary Louise. “If I can.”
“I want you to live at Dark Cedars while I’m here in the hospital. Take Jane with you, if you want to, and your dog too—but plan to stay there.”
“I can’t be there every minute, Miss Grant. Tomorrow I’ve promised to go on a picnic.”
“Oh, that’s all right! I remember now, you told me. Take Elsie with you. But go back to Dark Cedars at night. Sleep in my room. And shut the door!”
Mary Louise looked puzzled; she could not see the reason for such a request.
“But there isn’t anything valuable for anybody to steal now, is there, Miss Grant?” she inquired. “You put your money and your bonds in the bank today.”
The sick woman gasped for breath and for a moment she could not speak. Finally she said, “You heard about last night from Hannah? And saw the way things were upset?”
“Yes. But if the burglars didn’t take anything, they won’t be likely to return, will they?”