Just how long they lay there, comfortably resting, Azalea could not tell, but when she opened her eyes the twilight had deepened. Annie Laurie was still deep in sleep. The fire had quickened, and by its glow Azalea could see that some one had entered the room. For a moment she was startled, but then she saw that it was Annie Laurie’s father, Simeon Pace; so she lay still, not liking to speak, since she was not sure he would know her. He did not see the two girls on the sofa, and it was quite evident that he thought himself alone. Azalea watched him sleepily, and saw him take off his coat and throw it on the chair. Then he began twisting his arm in a most inhuman manner, and Azalea’s blood was frozen as she saw him loosen it at the elbow and lay it beside the coat, until she chanced to remember about its being merely a tin substitute for an arm. His next act was to take a long pocketbook or wallet from the mantel, draw something from it, stuff it into his hollow arm and deftly strap the arm into place again.
“How funny,” thought Azalea. “How Jim will laugh when I tell him about it!”
Then she remembered that she had been unintentionally spying, and that it would not be at all fair to tell what she had seen. She knew Ma McBirney would not like her to mention anything she had seen under such circumstances. So she lay as still as a lizard, hardly breathing, and finally Mr. Pace left the room. A moment later she heard the two aunts bustling about in the kitchen. There was a poking at the stove, a lighting of lamps, a rattling of dishes, and it was evident that the household was being set in motion again.
“Where are you, Annie Laurie, child?” called the voice of Miss Zillah. “We’ve been out to the sewing circle, and it was so late before the refreshments were served that we couldn’t hold our business meeting till after five. Then on the way home we heard Mrs. Disbrow was worse and Hannah laid up with a cold and we dropped in to see them, though I must say they’re a shiftless lot. We thought you and your father wouldn’t mind if supper was a little late. What you lying there for, child? And mercy me, how big you look! Why, no wonder, there’s two of you. It’s you, Azalea? How do you do?”
“I’m very well, ma’am,” said Azalea rather shyly. “I hope you didn’t mind my coming. It was so rainy and horrid, Annie Laurie asked me to spend the night.”
“Why, you’re as welcome as sunrise, of course. Sister Adnah, here is Azalea McBirney. She’s come to spend the night with us.”
Azalea wondered what was going to happen then. Miss Adnah had been quite vicious on the occasion of her former visit; but the mischievous spirit in the girl made her rather enjoy the uncertainty. Miss Adnah, she decided, could do no more than eat her up. But Miss Adnah was over her bad temper. She came in holding out her hand gravely.
“It was a wise thing for you to stay in the valley to-night,” she said primly. “I’m sure Mrs. McBirney wouldn’t want you to climb the mountain in such a drizzle.”
She avoided committing herself to a mere piece of flattery. She didn’t say she was glad Azalea was there, but for some reason, the girl did not feel chilled. She knew Annie Laurie wanted her, and it seemed to her that as the daughter of the house, Annie Laurie ought to enjoy some privileges. However, a few minutes later, when she was in Annie Laurie’s sober, tidy room, putting on her dress and freshening her hair, she overheard Miss Zillah saying softly to Annie Laurie in the next room:
“Sister Adnah thinks you should not invite anyone to the house without first asking permission, my dear. As for myself, I’m glad to see you have friends and feel free to ask them, but it would be well to make certain preparations.”