“Don’t be so positive, grandpa.” And as she uttered this little sentence, in a half playful voice, she laid her hand among the thin gray locks on the old man’s head, and smoothed them caressingly. “You know that I must not be idle.”
“Wait, child, until your strength returns.”
“Our wants will not wait, grandpa.” As the girl said this, her face became sober. The old man’s eyes again fell to the floor, and a heavy sigh came forth from his bosom.
“I will be very careful and not overwork myself again,” resumed Ellen, after a pause.
“You must not go to-day,” said the old man, arousing himself. “It is murder. Wait at least until to-morrow. You will be stronger then.”
“If I do not go back to-day, I may lose my place. You know I have been home for three days.”
“You were sick.”
“Work will not wait. The last time I was kept away by sickness, a customer was disappointed; and there was a good deal of trouble about it.”
Another sigh came heavily from the old man’s heart.
“I will go,” said the girl. “Perhaps they will let me off for a day longer. If so, I will come back. But I must not lose the place.”