Search      Hot    Newest Novel
HOME > Short Stories > The Four Corners > CHAPTER XV SACRIFICES
Font Size:【Large】【Middle】【Small】 Add Bookmark  
CHAPTER XV SACRIFICES
It was many an hour before Nan was relieved of her self-imposed task of keeping house for old Daniel Boggs, and in the meantime Daniella was going through such experiences as her wildest dreams had never suggested to her.

Polly drove directly home to consult her parents about the best way to set to work to look for Mrs. Boggs, but she found neither her father nor mother at the house, though her brother Tom happened to be in, and volunteered to go down-town to make inquiries.

"If anything has happened to her in town, they will know at the police station or the hospital," he said. "I\'ll go to the station first, for it is right on my way. If I hear anything there, I\'ll follow it up."

Polly led Daniella, conscious of new shoes and jacket, into the house where she sat stiffly on the edge of a chair, refusing to move or to speak, lost in wonderment. Never before had she been in such a room as that into which Polly took her, although it was but the plainly furnished sitting-room of an ordinary [Pg 274]house. Never before had Daniella seen pictures in gilt frames, books in colored bindings, carpeted floors or curtained windows. She sat as if in a dream, staring around in amazement. She was too proud to ask questions, too shy to leave her chair, too embarrassed to speak.

Within half an hour, Tom Lewis returned. He called to Polly, but Daniella heard him, and with a swift direct movement darted toward the entry where he was. She stood rigidly erect waiting for his first words. "Come out here, Polly," he said. "I want to speak to you." And he led his sister to the porch. "I couldn\'t tell you while that child\'s great eyes were upon me," he said. "I have found her mother. She is at the hospital badly hurt. She has been unconscious, or at least delirious, and they could not discover her name till this morning. Now, what\'s to be done?"

"Nan mustn\'t stay up there, and the old man is to be considered," said Polly thoughtfully. "Perhaps, Tom, I\'d better go over and speak to Aunt Sarah. Mary Lee and Phil went over and have given her some idea of the state of things. Meanwhile, you hunt up father and see if he can advise anything to be done about that old man. We can\'t, for humanity\'s sake, allow Daniella to stay there in that lonely cabin while her mother is getting well."

[Pg 275]

"And we must get Nan home," said Tom. "I\'ll find father, Polly, and he\'ll know what\'s best. The woman is not likely to be out for some weeks, they told me."

"Dear, dear," exclaimed Polly.

"What woman? Where is she?" cried an excited voice at her side. Polly turned to put her arm around Daniella who was looking at her with big frightened eyes. "Your mother has been hurt, Daniella, dear. She was run over by a wagon on the street, but she is in good hands and——-"

"Where is she? Where?" interrupted Daniella, wrenching herself away. "I wants to see her. Take me to her."

"I cannot this minute, but you shall see her as soon as we can make arrangements. Be a good girl, Daniella, and don\'t make a fuss. We are going to do all we can for both you and your mother."

Daniella choked back a great sob, but sat down on a chair in the hall, her eyes like those of some patient, suffering animal.

Polly took a seat beside her. "We are not going to let you stay up on the mountain alone, so far from your mother," she went on gently. "My brother has gone to find out what can be done about your grandfather. Now, will you stay here, or will you come with me to Nan\'s home? Nan, you [Pg 276]know, is the one who is staying with your grandfather."

Daniella nodded. "I know her name; I ain\'t goin\' to fergit it neither. I\'ll go thar with you."

Polly took her to where Aunt Sarah was listening to Mary Lee\'s account of the afternoon\'s adventure. "What\'s this?" said Miss Dent, as Polly entered. "Why did you let Nan stay up there, Polly?"

"She wanted to stay," said Polly with a warning look. "This is Daniella Boggs, Aunt Sarah. We have just heard that her mother has met with an accident and is in the hospital. The nurses assured Tom that she was doing well, but we must make arrangements for Daniella." She followed Aunt Sarah into the next room where they talked in low tones together while Mary Lee, Phil and the twins put their heads together to make a plan of their own.

Daniella sat on the edge of the sofa, her hands clenched and her tears rolling down upon the red jacket. She could no longer keep them back. Presently the children left her there and she could hear them all talking in the adjoining room.

"Please, Aunt Sarah," begged Jack.

"Oh, do, auntie," pleaded Jean.

"I\'ll go without butter," put in Mary Lee.

[Pg 277]

"And I\'ll empty my savings bank," added Phil.

"Go \'long, go \'long, all of you," said Aunt Sarah. "Wait till your elders have talked this thing over and then we will see."

"One more couldn\'t make so very, very much difference," Mary Lee began again.

"And we could sleep three in a bed," Jean\'s voice came in.

"Or we could do something. There\'s a lot of room if we only had the furniture," Jack\'s argument followed.

"I\'ll bet mother has a bedstead to spare," Phil chimed in eagerly, "and we could rig up one of those dressing-table things out of boxes."

"Hush, hush," Aunt Sarah commanded. "You drive me wild. Not another word, Phil Lewis, till I see your father."

Then all of them trooped back into the room where Daniella was sitting. "Now, Daniella," said Polly, "you are to stay here with these little girls till we get everything arranged, and when I come back, I will take you to see your mother, if I can." And she went off with Miss Sarah, leaving Daniella feeling desolate and scared.

The children, however, could not avoid the subject which was so near to their hearts. All their young sympathies were aroused. They would have [Pg 278]given Daniella any of their possessions, and were ready to make any sacrifices. "Did they not know what it meant to have a mother ill and away from them?"

"Our mother is ill, too," said Mary Lee, "and she is way off, too far for us ever to go and see her. She had to go there so as to get well."

Daniella felt the sympathy which this state of affairs must bring about, and she wiped her eyes upon the back of her hand, and tried to force back her tears.

"Wouldn\'t you like to stay with us till your mother gets well?" ventured Jack, eyeing the disconsolate Daniella.

Daniella blinked away her tears but made no reply.

"Hush, Jack," said Mary Lee in a half whisper. "You mustn\'t say that yet."

"I just wanted to know," said Jack, still gazing at Daniella.

"It isn\'t polite for you to stare so," whispered Mary Lee, and Jack turned away her eyes.

"What do you suppose they will do now with the money we made at the bazaar?" whispered Jean to Phil. But he shook his head reprovingly at her.

They found that they could not draw Daniella into conversation, but they did not think it polite to [Pg 279]leave her. Jack brought her a picture-book to look at. She stared at the pictures uncomprehendingly.

Mary Lee produced a piece of needlework she was doing; it had no better effect.

Jean ran out and brought back Rubaiyat, whom she placed in Daniella\'s lap. Then the forlorn little stranger smiled and smoothed the soft fur.

Encouraged by this, and not to be outdone by her twin, Jack rushed to the kitchen and came back with a cake and an apple which she offered to the interesting visitor.

Daniella eyed the apple for a moment and then shook her head. She was not going to seem to need food in the presence of these more favored children. But she seemed to take comfort in cuddling Ruby and they felt that they had done all that they could.

In the course of an hour Colonel Lewis came in with his daughter and Miss Sarah. "Tom and I have arranged it," he told Phil in answer to the eager questions he put as he ran out to meet them. "We\'ve found a place to take the grandfather. He must go to the County Asylum, as his mind is impaired. We must get Nan home right away, so Tom or I will drive up for her and bring the old man back. They\'ll keep him at the hospital to-night [Pg 280]and to-morrow he can go to the place I spoke of. He will be well cared for."

"And what about Daniella?" asked Phil.

"That\'s not settled yet. She will stay here till we can determine what is best to be done. The main thing now is to get Nan home. I feel very loth to leave her there alone a moment longer than necessary. Mrs. Boggs is in good hands and is improving."

As Polly entered the room, she said, "Now, Daniella, you may go to see your mother." Down went Ruby, awakened rudely from the nap she was taking in Daniella\'s lap, and the little girl, without waiting for further invitation, darted out the door. She ran down to the gate so fast that Polly could not overtake her. "Wait, Daniella, wait," she called. "You don\'t know which way to go." Then Daniella paused and those watching saw them go swiftly down the street.

During the time that all this was going on, Nan was patiently keeping watch in the cabin. The short winter day was drawing to a close when she stirred the fire and tried to set a kettle of water to boil. Little as she was used to cooking, she was less used to an open fire, and found some difficulty in making the coffee. But she accomplished it at last, emptied some into a bowl and poured into it a [Pg 281]liberal supply of "long sweetening" which she discovered to be molasses, then putting some of the corn bread upon a plate, she set it before the old man. He was able to feed himself which he did noisily, but with evident enjoyment. Nan could touch none of the food herself, though she was hungry after a picnic lunch taken on the drive up the mountain. The hours began to drag wearily. Once in a while, the old man would make some meaningless remark, supposing Nan to be his granddaughter. Two or three times he attempted to meddle with the fire, but Nan was able to stop him. He was simple and harmless, but, like a child, in danger of doing himself an injury by some sudden piece of mischief.

Nan wondered how Daniella could stand living in the little cooped up, bare cabin, how she could endure the privations and the lack of companionship. As the shadows deepened, she began to fear it might be possible that she would have to stay there all night, and was relieved to hear the sound of wheels, and then her Cousin Tom Lewis\'s voice.

"Heigho, Nan!" he cried, "Ran and I have come for you."

"Is Daniella with you?" asked Nan, peering out the door.
Join or Log In! You need to log in to continue reading
   
 

Login into Your Account

Email: 
Password: 
  Remember me on this computer.

All The Data From The Network AND User Upload, If Infringement, Please Contact Us To Delete! Contact Us
About Us | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Tag List | Recent Search  
©2010-2018 wenovel.com, All Rights Reserved