"What a contrast between this room and that poor basement in V—— Court where, twenty-six years ago, the man who is going to enjoy this comfort fought for my mother's life, and succeeded in giving me mine!"
I left the room abruptly. Jamie called after me:
"Where are you going, Marcia?"
"Down stairs to begin with the books."
"Hold on till I come; you can't handle them alone. Cale, put the screens before the fires. Come on down, mother."
The passageway was stacked high with books along the walls. Cale had brought them in, and these were not the half. I was looking at them when the others came down.
"You took them out, Cale, how many do you think there are?"
"I cal'lated 'bout three hundred in a box. We 've opened five, and there 's two we ain't opened."
Jamie started to gather up an armful, but Cale took them from him. His tenderness and care of him were wonderful to see.
"No yer don't! If there 's to be any fetchin' and carryin', I 'm the one ter do it."