“Come and take me, Back-Kaisa!” she cried. “Come and take me!”
When the nurse came up to the bedside the little girl threw her arms about her neck and clung to her as no child had ever done before. A little tremor went through Back-Kaisa, and her voice was not real steady when she asked:
“What’s the matter with Selma? Is her sick?”
“I can’t walk, Back-Kaisa,” wailed the child.
Then a pair of strong arms lifted her up as easily as if she were just a tiny kitten, and all at once the stern, serious-minded woman knew how to talk to a little child.
“Naa—Selma mustn’t cry for that! Back-Kaisa’s going to carry Selma.”
And with that it seemed as if all the little one’s troubles had blown away. She was no longer afraid or unhappy. What did it matter that she herself could not walk when Back-Kaisa would carry her! And nobody had to tell her; she knew that one who had a good strong friend like Back-Kaisa was not so badly off after all.
[II
GRAND COMPANY]
JOHAN and Anna were driven nearly to distraction by the terrible commotion created by Selma’s illness.