“I dunno. The doctor ain’t been. He never left him till midnight and I jest caught cat-naps on the sofa in his room until daybreak. Thank goodness! Mr. Haley’s asleep now. But his room looks like the wrath o’ doom had struck it.”
“Can’t I help you?” queried Janice. “I can clear up his room and dust. I won’t make any more noise than a mouse.”
“Well—if you would,” said Mrs. Beasely, with a sigh. “And if you’d watch till he wakes up, I could git another little nap and feel fresh for the day. He ain’t to be waked for his medicine; but when he does wake you can run and tell me and I’ll give it to him.”
“I’ll do that, dear Mrs. Beasely, gladly,” said Janice. “He needn’t know that you haven’t been with him all the time. Maybe he wouldn’t like anybody else to be in his room.”
“Humph! I don’t know as it would hurt him. But it might fret him, as you say. So we’ll say nothing about it.”
The girl went rather tremblingly to the big chamber in which Nelson slept. It was easily “ridded up,” as Polktown housewives expressed it. Nelson lay quietly on his bed and at first Janice did not even look at him. She feared if she approached the bedside she might disturb the young man.
But when he groaned and turned uneasily, she came nearer. His face was so pale and wan that it troubled her. The veins in his closed eyelids were startlingly blue. He had not shaved for two days and the sparce down upon his cheeks and lip made him look even more boyish than usual.
He did not awaken; but Janice saw that his pillow was rumpled and must be uncomfortable. She slipped her strong arm under his neck and lifted him a little, while with the other hand she plumped up the pillow.
Nelson groaned and muttered something. His wandering hand caught at hers as she drew it away, and clung to it for a moment.
“Janice! Janice!” he murmured.