Part 6 (1/2)
Lloyd looked up at her mother, from whose face every particle of colour had faded. Mrs. Sherman gave a low, frightened cry as she sprang forward to meet him. ”Oh, Jack! what is the matter? What has happened to you?”
she exclaimed, as he took her in his arms. The train had gone on, and they were left alone on the platform.
”Just a little sick spell,” he answered, with a smile. ”We had a fire out at the mines, and I overtaxed myself some. I've had fever ever since, and it has pulled me down considerably.”
”I must send somebody for a carriage,” she said, looking around anxiously.
”No, indeed,” he protested. ”It's only a few steps; I can walk it as well as not. The sight of you and the baby has made me stronger already.”
He sent a coloured boy on ahead with his valise, and they walked slowly up the path, with Fritz running wildly around them, barking a glad welcome.
”How sweet and homelike it all looks!” he said, as he stepped into the hall, where Mom Beck was just lighting the lamps. Then he sank down on the couch, completely exhausted, and wearily closed his eyes.
The Little Colonel looked at his white face in alarm. All the gladness seemed to have been taken out of the homecoming.
Her mother was busy trying to make him comfortable, and paid no attention to the disconsolate little figure wandering about the house alone. Mom Beck had gone for the doctor.
The supper was drying up in the warming-oven. The ice-cream was melting in the freezer. n.o.body seemed to care. There was no one to notice the pretty table with its array of flowers and cut gla.s.s and silver.
When Mom Beck came back, Lloyd ate all by herself, and then sat out on the kitchen door-step while the doctor made his visit.
She was just going mournfully off to bed with an aching lump in her throat, when her mother opened the door.
”Come tell papa good-night,” she said. ”He's lots better now.”
She climbed up on the bed beside him, and buried her face on his shoulder to hide the tears she had been trying to keep back all evening.
”How the child has grown!” he exclaimed. ”Do you notice, Beth, how much plainer she talks? She does not seem at all like the baby I left last spring. Well, she'll soon be six years old,--a real little woman. She'll be papa's little comfort.”
The ache in her throat was all gone after that. She romped with Fritz all the time she was undressing.
Papa Jack was worse next morning. It was hard for Lloyd to keep quiet when the late September suns.h.i.+ne was so gloriously yellow and the whole outdoors seemed so wide awake.
She tiptoed out of the darkened room where her father lay, and swung on the front gate until she saw the doctor riding up on his bay horse. It seemed to her that the day never would pa.s.s.
Mom Beck, rustling around in her best dress ready for church, that afternoon, took pity on the lonesome child.
”Go get yo' best hat, honey,” she said, ”an' I'll take you with me.”
It was one of the Little Colonel's greatest pleasures to be allowed to go to the coloured church.
She loved to listen to the singing, and would sit perfectly motionless while the sweet voices blended like the chords of some mighty organ as they sent the old hymns rolling heavenward. Service had already commenced by the time they took their seats. Nearly everybody in the congregation was swaying back and forth in time to the mournful melody of ”Sinnah, sinnah, where's you boun'?”
One old woman across the aisle began clapping her hands together, and repeated in a singsong tone, ”Oh, Lordy! I'm so happy!”
”Why, that's just what our parrot says,” exclaimed Lloyd, so much surprised that she spoke right out loud.
Mom Beck put her handkerchief over her mouth, and a general smile went around.
After that the child was very quiet until the time came to take the collection. She always enjoyed this part of the service more than anything else. Instead of pa.s.sing baskets around, each person was invited to come forward and lay his offering on the table.
Woolly heads wagged, and many feet kept time to the tune: