Part 9 (2/2)

”I had to do it, Judy.”

He laid her on a pile of hay in the corner.

Her eyes were closed, and her dark lashes swept across her pallid cheeks.

”She isn't strong,” whispered the worried Anne, her tender fingers pus.h.i.+ng back Judy's wet hair.

”No,” said Launcelot, his deep young voice softening to a gentler key as he looked down at her, ”she isn't. Poor little thing!”

Judy heard, and her lashes fluttered. ”How good they are,” she thought, remorsefully, and then she seemed to float away from realities.

When she came to herself, Launcelot had gone, and the three little girls were rubbing her hands and trying to get her to drink some water.

”Oh, Judy, do you feel better?” Anne whispered; ”we were so frightened.”

”Yes,” murmured Judy, and the color began to come into her face.

”Launcelot went to see if he could get something from Perkins for you to take,” said Anne; ”he told us to build a fire in the old stove, but we have been so worried about you that we haven't done anything.”

”Is there a stove?” asked Judy, listlessly.

”Yes. Mr. Cutter put it in here to heat milk for the lambs, and once when we had a picnic we made our coffee here.”

”There isn't any wood,” said Amelia, hopelessly.

”There is some up in the loft,” said Nannie, ”Don't you remember the boys put it there, so that no one but ourselves could find it?”

She went swiftly up the narrow steps, but came flying back in a panic.

”_There's some one up there_,” she whispered, all the color gone from her face.

”Hush,” said Anne, with her eyes on Judy.

Judy was not afraid. She was still weak and wan, but she was braver than the little country girls, and not easily frightened.

”It is probably a p.u.s.s.y cat,” she scoffed.

”Or a hen,” giggled Amelia.

Anne said nothing. The darkness, the cras.h.i.+ng storm outside, and Judy's illness had upset her, and she s.h.i.+vered with apprehension.

”No,” Nannie flared, with a scornful look at Amelia and Judy, ”it isn't a cat and it isn't a hen. IT sneezed!”

”Ask who's there,” advised Judy from her couch.

”I don't dare,” said Nannie.

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