“But the nurse must sleep sometimes—I could help then. O Lizette, ask Olga to let me,” Elizabeth pleaded.
“She won’t.” Lizette shook her head. “Much as ever she’ll let me do anything. I get the meals for the nurse—Olga takes only milk. The nurse says she can do with only four hours’ sleep, and I can see to Olga that little time.”
“No,” Elizabeth said decidedly, “no, Lizette, you have your work at the shop and the cooking. You mustn’t do more than that. I can come after supper—at eight o’clock—and stay till twelve——”
“You couldn’t go home all alone at midnight—you know you couldn’t,” Sadie interrupted.
“I needn’t to. I could sleep in a chair till morning.”
“As to that, you could sleep on the nurse’s cot, I guess,” Lizette admitted. “Well, if Olga will let you—I’ll ask her.”
But as she started up Elizabeth gently pushed her back. “No, don’t ask her. I’ll just come to-morrow night, anyway.”
“Let it go so, then,” Lizette answered. “Maybe it will be best, for I’m pretty well tired out myself with the heat, and worrying over Olga, and all. I knew she was overworking but I couldn’t help it.”
On the way home Elizabeth was silent until Sadie broke out gloomily, “I s’pose if she don’t get better you won’t go to the camp, ’Lizabeth.”
“O, no, I couldn’t go away and leave her sick—of course, I couldn’t.”