"Why, aunt," she cried, "how can I go for the doctor at midnight? The town is at least a mile and a half from here."
"Only a mile through the woods," answered Mrs. Meredith, quickly.
The young girl shivered.
"Come, come, I never knew you afraid of anything," Mrs. Meredith began quickly; "surely you'll do this much for me, Lina—if not for me, for your poor little cousin Dollie, a-wheezin' her life away, and none to bring a doctor."
But Jaquelina hesitated.
"Aunt Meredith," she said, "the road through the woods is very dark and lonely, and, you may see for yourself, the moon is going down, and then those dreadful outlaws may be lurking in the woods. Is Dollie so very bad? Perhaps she would do until daylight."
"Come," said Mrs. Meredith, pulling the girl by the sleeve, "you shall see."
Jaquelina followed her down stairs to the room where the fat baby lay upon the bed wheezing terribly, while now and then a hoarse, whistling cough echoed painfully through the room.
Jaquelina's heart, always tender to pain, was touched by the sight of the infant's suffering.
"Oh, Lina, will you let the darling die?" cried the frightened mother, whose hard heart could soften, at least, to her own child's suffering. "Surely you'll bring the doctor to little Dollie?"