n the camphor by her side, an extra homespun
blanket over her, and the door left open so that she could see the open
fire that he made into a cheerful huddles contrived so that it would not
snap and throw out dangerous sparks in his absence.

All the while he was doing this Mrs. Boynton lay quietly in the bed
talking to herself fitfully, in the faint murmuring tone that was
habitual to her. He could distinguish scarcely anything, only enough to
guess that her mind was still on the Bible story that he was reading to
her when she fainted. "THE ROD OF AARON WAS AMONG THE OTHER RODS," he
heard her say; and, a moment later, "BRING AARON'S ROD AGAIN BEFORE THE
TESTIMONY."

Was it his uncle's name that had so affected her, wondered the boy,
almost sick with remorse, although he had tried his best to evade her
command to read the chapter aloud? What would Ivory, his hero, his
pattern and example, say? It had always seen Rod's pride to carry his
little share of every burden that fell to Ivory, to be faithful and
helpful in every task given to him. He could walk through fire without
flinching, he thought, if Ivory told him to, and he only prayed that he
might not be held responsible for this new calamity.

"I want Ivory!" came in a feeble voice from the bedroom.

"Does your side ache worse?" Rod asked, tip-toeing to the door.

"No, I am quite free from pain."

"Would you be afraid to stay alone just for a while if I lock both doors
and run to find Ivory and bring him back?"

"No, I will sleep," she whispered, closing her eyes. "Bring him quickly
before I forget what I want to say to him."

Rod sped down the lane and over the fields to the brick store where
Ivory usually bought his groceries. His cousin was not there, but one of
the men came out and offered to take his horse and drive over the bridge
to see if he were at one of the neighbors' on that side of the river.
Not a word did Rod breathe of his aunt's illness; he simply said that
she was lonesome for Ivory, and so he came to find him. In five minutes
they saw the Boynton horse hitched to a tree by the road-side, and in a
trice Rod called him and, thanking Mr. Bixby, got into Ivory's wagon to
wait for him. He tried his best to explain the situation as they drove
along, but finally concluded by saying: "Aunt really made me read the
chapter to her, Ivory. I tried not to when I saw Uncle's name in most
every verse, but I couldn't help it."

"Of course you couldn't! N