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Page 77
Elizabeth had a tender feeling in her heart for that motherly woman who
had sought to protect her, and felt a longing to let her know how safely
she had been kept through the long journey and how good the Lord had been
to her through the years. Also they both desired to reward these kind
people for their hospitality in the time of need. So, in the early evening
they rode up just as they did before to the little old log house. But no
friendly door flung open wide as they came near, and at first they thought
the cabin deserted, till a candle flare suddenly shone forth in the
bedroom, and then Benedict dismounted and knocked.
After some waiting the old man came to the door holding a candle high
above his head. His face was haggard and worn, and the whole place looked
dishevelled. His eyes had a weary look as he peered into the night and it
was evident that he had no thought of ever having seen them before:
"I can't do much fer ya, strangers," he said, his voice sounding tired and
discouraged. "If it's a woman ye have with ye, ye better ride on to the
next ranch. My woman is sick. Very sick. There's nobody here with her but
me, and I have all I can tend to. The house ain't kept very tidy. It's six
weeks since she took to bed."
Elizabeth had sprung lightly to the ground and was now at the threshold:
"Oh, is she sick? I'm so sorry? Couldn't I do something for her? She was
good to me once several years ago!"
The old man peered at her blinkingly, noting her slender beauty, the
exquisite eager face, the dress that showed her of another world--and
shook his head:
"I guess you made a mistake, lady. I don't remember ever seeing you
before--"
"But I remember you," she said eagerly stepping into the room, "Won't you
please let me go to her?"
"Why, shore, lady, go right in ef you want to. She's layin' there in the
bed. She ain't likely to get out of it again' I'm feared. The doctor says
nothin' but a 'noperation will ever get her up, and we can't pay fer
'noperations. It's a long ways to the hospital in Chicago where he wants
her sent, and M'ria and I, we ain't allowin' to part. It can't be many
years--"
But Elizabeth was not waiting to hear. She had slipped into the old
bedroom that she remembered now so well and was kneeling beside the bed
talking to the white faced woman on the thin pillow:
"Don't you remember me," she asked, "I'm the girl you tried to get to stay
with you once. The girl that came here with a man she had met in the
wilderness. You told me things that I didn't know, and you were kind and
wanted me to stay here with you? Don't you remember me? I'm Elizabeth!"
The woman reached out a bony hand and touched the fair young face that she
could see but dimly in the flare of the candle that the old man now
brought into the room:
"Why, yes, I remember," the woman said, her voice sounded alive yet in
spite of her illness, "Yes, I remember you. You were a dear little girl,
and I was so worried about you. I would have kept you for my own--but you
wouldn't stay. And he was a nice looking young man, but I was afraid for
you--You can't always tell about them--You _mostly_ can't--!"
"But he was all right Mother!" Elizabeth's voice rang joyously through the
cabin, "He took care of me and got me safely started toward my people, and
now he's my husband. I want you to see him. George come here!"
The old woman half raised herself from the pillow and looked toward the
young man in the doorway:
"You don't say! He's your _husband_! Well, now isn't that grand! Well, I
certainly am glad! I was that worried--!"
They sat around the bed talking, Elizabeth telling briefly of her own
experiences and her wedding trip which they were taking back over the old
trail, and the old man and woman speaking of their trouble, the woman's
breakdown and how the doctor at Malta said there was a chance she could
get well if she went to a great doctor in Chicago, but how they had no
money unless they sold the ranch and that nobody wanted to buy it.
"Oh, but we have money," laughed Elizabeth joyously, "and it is our turn
now to help you. You helped us when we were in trouble. How soon can you
start? I'm going to play you are my own father and mother. We can send
them both, can't we George?"
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