"How can you, Sister Cordelia?" expostulated Aunt Louise. "A little servant girl!"
Bob came back with Minnie. "For a nour," she said as she arrived. "I can stay until the pork-house whistle blows for four."
She waited until Aunt Cordelia, having settled them in the sunny back room, went out the door.
"What's happened to your gran'pa?" then she said to Izzy. Did she say it not as if she did not know, but as if she did?
"He's gone to sleep," said Izzy. "He won't be sick or tired any more."
"Sleep?" from Minnie. "Haven't they told you yet? We watched 'em start, Bob and I, before we came in."
Start? Start where? Izzy's eyes, already troubled, were big and startled now. "Where's grandpa going? Where's my grandpa going?"
Did Minnie in some way imply that she knew more than she meant to tell? "To Heaven," virtuously. "I've told you about it. That's why he won't be sick or tired any more. You ought to be glad. Here!" with quick change in tone. "Where you going? What's the matter with you now? You can't keep him back if you try!"
But Izzy was gone. Nor when Minnie, who was nothing but a little servant girl after all, for Aunt Louise said so, ran after him, did he pause; only called back as he hurried down the stairs. He was a dutiful little boy, Aunt Cordelia said so.
"If Grandpa has to go he'll need his cane. He can't get anywhere without his cane."