ll. My arm breshed it. But the sasser and the pickle-dish and
George's wife's lemonade-glass and Abbie Carter's cracker-jar--I done
them apurpose. And I can't say I regret the pitcher, nuther."

"Yes, Mother! Yes, yes! It's all right; I understand. (Myry, don't you
leave her! I thought she was gettin' childish, but Oh--to think--I'll
have John go for Doc Bradley right away. Let 'er amuse herself--but
don't you leave her alone a minute! Poor Mother! Poor old Mother!
Aplayin' with broken chiny dishes!)"

"What's Nell awhisperin' to ye?" inquired old Mrs. Bray, sharply.
"There's nothin' to whisper about as I know. Did ever you see anything
purtier than this pink chiny piece, Myry? It broke so clean, and curved
as a petal. And this here piece of George's wife's lemonade-glass--it's
handsome as a brooch. See how the flower come out! Why, Myry, I've set
here and fairly eat off these dishes!"

"Yes, Mother. But sha'n't we put them up now! Some one might drop
in--Nell bein' here."

She could not bear that Marvin and John and the doctor should see this
pitiful child's play.

Old Mrs. Bray assented with the utmost good nature. She drew up a box of
lacquer and proceeded to lay her china service carefully and dextrously
away. She set the box quite openly along the shelf beside her bonnet-box
and the snug, little brown round pasteboard roll that held her little
old round muff. Presently they heard steps in the sitting-room. Some one
had dropped in--but it was only Marvin and John and old Doc Bradley.

Marvin's face held a look of scared apprehension; John's withheld
judgment; Nell was frankly red-eyed. She had been walking fiercely back
and forth in the yard unable to face again that piteous picture.

The only unclouded faces there were Doc Bradley's and old Mrs. Bray's.
She gave him a shrewd look. He returned it in kind. "So--o--" said old
Mrs. Bray, noting their various scrutiny. There was even an effect of
state about her as she settled herself in her special rocker. But she
said, quite simply and conversationally,

"Do you want I should tell you about them dishes?"

"Well--it was thisaway. And understand--I don't blame nobuddy. Folks are
different. I always loved pretty dishes, but I never got to use 'em.
First on account of you being little"--she eyed Nellie and Marvin with
benignant allowance--"and after that, because of Nell always bein' agen'
using things common. She's like her father. He was thataway. He was a
goo