"I was up yesterday for a minute," said Ellen; "but the chair tired me so, I was glad to get back to bed again."
It was no wonder; harder and straighter-backed chairs never were invented. Probably Mr. Van Brunt thought so.
"Wouldn't you like to have a rocking cheer?" said he, suddenly, as if a bright thought had struck him.
"Oh yes, how much I should!" said Ellen, with another long- drawn breath; "but there isn't such a thing in the house, that ever I saw."
"Ay, but there is in other houses, though," said Mr. Van Brunt, with as near an approach to a smile as his lips commonly made; "we'll see!"
Ellen smiled more broadly. "But don't you give yourself any trouble for me," said she.
"Trouble, indeed!" said Mr. Van Brunt; "I don't know anything about that. How came that wicked thing up here to plague you?"
"She said Aunt Fortune left her to take care of me."
"That's one of her lies. Your aunt's gone out, I know; but she's a trifle wiser than to do such a thing as that. She has plagued you badly, han't she?"
He might have thought so. The colour which excitement brought into Ellen's face had faded away, and she had settled herself back against her pillow with an expression of weakness and weariness that the strong man saw and felt.