Robin had never heard Allison say so many words at a time before.
“It has done Allie good, at any rate,” said he as he seated himself by the parlour fire and began to take off his little sister’s wraps. Then he took off her shoes and stockings “to warm her bonny wee footies,” as he said.
“Has it done her good? I’m glad o’ that,” said Marjorie, “for Allie has had sore trouble, I’m nearly sure. She forgets me whiles, even when she has me in her arms, and her face changes, and her een look as if she were seein’ things no’ there.”
“My dear!” said her mother. “It might vex Allie for you to be watching her face, and speaking about it, since she has never said a word about her troubles to you.”
“Oh, mother! It is only to you and Robin. Do you think I would speak about my Allie to other folk?” and the tears came into the child’s eyes.
“Now, Maysie,” said her brother, “when ye begin to look like that, I ay ken that ye’re tired and likely to grow fractious and ill to do with. So you must just lie still in my arms, and I’ll sing ye to sleep. What shall I sing? The Lass o’ Glenshee? or The Lord’s my Shepherd?”
It was not long before the child was sleeping sweetly on her little couch, nor did the flush which her mother so dreaded to see, and which too often followed any unusual excitement, come to her cheeks as she slept. She slept well at night also, and nothing could be clearer than that the long walk had done her no harm, but good.
So, a precedent being established, Marjorie had many a walk after that.
Sometimes she was allowed to spend an hour with Mrs Beaton, or auld Maggie, or some other friend, and at such times Allison would leave her and return for her again. It cannot be said that her limbs grew much stronger, or that the dull pain in the weary little back troubled her no more. But the change gave her new thoughts and new interests, and rested her when she grew weary of her doll, and her books, and of the quiet of the parlour, and sometimes even of her mother’s company.
But when the days grew long and warm, there were even better things in store for her, and for Allison also, through her tender care of the child.