Part 19 (1/2)

Dr. Steele rose, and escorted Susan and Letty across the room. He sat down between them, and, though he was able to eat only one plate of ice-cream while they easily devoured two apiece, he seemed to enjoy the treat quite as well as they.

When they had finished, there stood Annie in the doorway, waiting to take them home. Mrs. Spargo would stay until the Fair closed, and that would be too late for the little girls to be out of bed.

”Good-night,” said Dr. Steele, shaking hands. ”And remember what I told you. That you are excellent shoppers, and that you have good value for your money, very good value, indeed.”

CHAPTER XII-THANKSGIVING IN FEATHERBED LANE

It was the morning of Thanksgiving Day, and Susan woke, sat up in bed, and looked about her. Beside her, on the quilt, lay the black-and-white shawl dolly, and, if you remember that she came out to play only when Susan was ailing, then you will know, without being told, that Susan had been ill.

Yes, for three whole days Susan had been in bed. But to-day she meant not only to be up and dressed, but to go downstairs as well, for to-day was Thanksgiving Day, and to stay in bed on such an occasion was something Susan didn't intend to do.

Four days ago Susan and Grandfather had come home from Banbury. They had arrived late in the evening, and Susan, tired out, had fallen asleep in her chair at the dinner-table, and had been carried up to bed without telling Grandmother a single word about her visit or even presenting her with the stocking-darner which she had carried in her hand all the way home from Letty's house.

Of the next two days all Susan could remember was a sharp pain and a big black bottle of medicine, with occasional glimpses of Grandmother and Grandfather tiptoeing about the darkened room.

But yesterday Susan had felt more like herself. She had enjoyed cuddling the shawl baby, she had eaten a plate of milk toast for her dinner, and she had given Grandmother a complete history of her visit from the moment she left Featherbed Lane until her return.

She had asked to see Flip, but Grandmother had said mysteriously that Flip, in her turn, had gone visiting, and that she wouldn't be back until dinner-time Thanksgiving Day.

”When is Thanksgiving Day?” Susan had asked.

”To-morrow,” Grandmother had answered, and Susan had sprung up in bed with a cry.

”Won't I be well to-morrow?” she asked imploringly. ”Won't I be well for Thanksgiving Day?”

Grandmother at this moment was shaking the big black medicine bottle. It did seem to Susan that it was always medicine time, though Grandmother said it was marked on the bottle ”To be taken every two hours.”

Mrs. Whiting smiled at her tone of despair.

”I think so,” said she encouragingly. ”That is, if you take your medicine nicely,” she added, approaching the bed with a large spoon in one hand and the bottle in the other.

Susan shut her eyes and opened her mouth. Down went the medicine, and, without a whimper and with only a wry face to tell how she really felt, Susan smiled bravely up at Grandmother.

”A good child,” said Grandmother approvingly. ”I'm sure you will be downstairs to-morrow.”

Now to-morrow had come, and Susan, slipping out of bed and into her warm rosy wrapper and slippers, trotted downstairs in search of some one.

She found Grandmother quite alone, save for a delicious smell in the air of roasting turkey. Grandmother was busy baking, but she stopped long enough to help Susan dress and to answer a few of the questions that tumbled pell-mell from Susan's lips.

”Where is Grandfather? Gone to Thanksgiving service at church. You slept late this morning, Susan. When will Phil be home? Not for two weeks.

They have all gone to his grandfather's for Thanksgiving, and they mean to visit his Great-Uncle Fred, who gave him his electric train, on their way back.”

”Is any one coming here for Thanksgiving, Grandmother?” asked Susan, delicately eating a bowl of bread and milk for breakfast from one end of the table on which Mrs. Whiting was stirring up a cake.

”Miss Liza is coming,” answered Mrs. Whiting, stopping her work and putting down her spoon. ”I may as well tell you now, Susan, I suppose.

Miss Lunette is married.”

Susan looked at Grandmother for a moment without speaking. How unkind of Miss Lunette to have a wedding while she was away!