“Oh, I beg your pardon!” he said with a look of relief. “In that case he’s to be congratulated. But, madam, you’ll have your hands full before you are through. He’s made a very bad start—a very bad start indeed. When these big, husky fellows get sick, they do it thoroughly, you know. Now, if you’ll just step over here, Miss Mary, I’ll explain to you both about this medicine. Give this every half-hour till I get back. I’ll run up here again in about two hours. I’ve got to drive over to the Plush Mills now, to an accident case; but I’ll be back as quick as I can. I want to watch this fellow pretty closely for the first few hours.”
When the doctor was gone, Mary Amber and Miss Marilla stood one on each side of the bed, and looked at each other, making silent covenant together over the sick soldier.
“Now,” said Mary Amber softly, “I’m going down into the kitchen to look after things. You just sit here and watch him. I’ll run over first to put the car away and tell mother I’ll stay with you to-night.”
“O Mary Amber, you mustn’t do that,” said Miss Marilla anxiously. “I never meant to get you into all this scrape. Your mother won’t like it at all. I’ll get along all right; and anyway, if I find I can’t, I’ll get Molly Poke to come and help me.”
“Mother will be perfectly satisfied to have me help you in any way I can,” said Mary Amber with a light in her eyes; “and as for Molly Poke, if I can’t look after you better than she can, I’ll go and hide my head. You can get Molly Poke when I fail, but not till then. Now, Auntie Rill, go sit down in the rockingchair and rest. Didn’t I tell you I’d help get that turkey dinner? Well, the dinner isn’t over yet; that’s all; and I owe the guest an apology for misjudging him. He’s all right, and we’ve got to pull him through, Auntie Rill; so here goes.”
Mary Amber gave Miss Marilla a loving squeeze, and sped down the stairs. Miss Marilla sat down to listen to the heavy breathing of the sick soldier, and watch the long, dark lashes on the sunken, tanned cheeks.
CHAPTER VII
For three weeks the two women nursed Lyman Gage, with now and then the help of Molly Poke in the kitchen. There were days when they came and went silently, looking at each other with stricken glances and at the sick man with pity; and Mary Amber went and looked at the letter lying on the bureau, and wondered whether she ought to telegraph that man who had sent the soldier the money that day. Another letter arrived, and then a telegram, all from Chicago. Then Mary Amber and Miss Marilla talked it over, and decided to make some reply.