And they were very happy, in spite of the great change in their circumstances and manner of living. They had only five rooms, but they were prettily, if cheaply, furnished, with odd pieces which they had been unable to dispose of when breaking up in New York. Mollie proved herself a very thrifty and efficient little housekeeper, and carefully followed the instructions of an experienced colored woman who came to help her for a few hours every day.
Mollie Heatherford, untrained in domestic economy as she was, cheerfully faced the changed conditions of her life with a brave heart. The former heiress to millions, the carefully nurtured idol of a loving father, brought up from infancy in the lap of luxury, carefully shielded from the rough side of the world, now faced the stern battle of life as the daughter of a government clerk with a true womanly spirit of independence and determination.
Mr. Heatherford’s salary proved to be ample for all their needs, and they were even able to save something from it every month.
Mollie had begged a monthly allowance for household expenses, as soon as they were settled, and her father had given her sixty dollars, reserving the remainder of his income for rent and incidentals, and the girl was jubilant at the end of the month when she showed him a balance in her favor of fifteen dollars.
“I will do even better than that next month, papa,” she said with shining eyes, after she had made him go over her neatly kept accounts with her, “for, of course, I have made some mistakes during the last four weeks, but Ellen knows how to make every penny count, and I am learning something new every day.”
But, as the winter passed and the sunny days of an early spring warned them that summer would soon be upon them, Mollie could see that, notwithstanding his apparent cheerfulness, her father’s health was suffering from the unaccustomed confinement of the winter. He said he was well, but she knew that he was not, and she watched him with jealous eyes. He rallied somewhat during the month of his vacation, which they spent in a quiet New England town by the sea. This improvement, however, proved to be only temporary, for, late in October, he was suddenly prostrated by some affection of the brain which, from the outset, baffled the physician who had been called to attend him.
Another doctor was called, but the change brought no better results and Mollie grew wild with anxiety, as she realized that, in spite of everything, her dear one’s mind was rapidly failing, like a candle that has nearly burned out, for there were times when he did not seem to know her; then he would rally for a day or two, only to lose ground faster than ever.
Finally Doctor Partridge, the attending physician, requested that a consultation of specialists might be called, as he did not wish to assume the responsibilities of the case any longer without advice.
Mollie grasped eagerly at this straw, and two noted physicians were sent for to confer with Doctor Partridge. It was not a long conference, fortunately for the poor girl to whom the suspense of that one hour was torturing beyond description.
It was over at last, and the physician came to her, his face very grave and pitiful. Mollie sprang to her feet at his approach, and stood rigid and snow-white before him, awaiting the verdict.