ws were not clean. She
smiled at her daughter.

"I declare, Ju, you do seem to bring the good fresh air in with you
whenever you come! Don't her cheeks look pretty, Regina? Why, I'm just
about the same, Ju. To-day's a real bad day, on account of the rain, but
I had a good night."

"She's had an awful week, Julia. She don't seem to get no better," Mrs.
Torney said heavily. "I was just saying that it almost seems like she
isn't going to get well; it just seems like it had got hold of her!"

Julia sat down next to her mother, and laid her own warm young hand over
the hand on the pillow.

"What does the doctor say?" she asked, looking from one discouraging
face to another.

"Oh, I don't know!" Mrs. Page said, sighing, and old Mrs. Cox cackled
out a shrill "Doctors don't know nothing, anyway!"

"Emeline sent for me," Mrs. Torney said in a sad, droning voice. "Mamma
just couldn't manage it, Julia; she's getting on; she can't do
everything. So me and Regina gave up the Oakland house, and we've been
here three weeks. We didn't want to do it, Julia, but you couldn't blame
us if you'd read your Mamma's letter. Regina's going to work as soon as
she can, and help out!"

Julia understood a certain deprecatory and apologetic note in her aunt's
voice to refer to the fact that the Shotwell Street house was largely
supported by Jim's generous monthly cheque, and that in establishing
herself and her youngest daughter there she more or less avowedly added
one more burden to Julia's shoulders.

"I'm glad you did, Auntie," she answered cheerfully. "How's Muriel? And
where's Geraldine?"

"Geraldine's at school," Mrs. Torney said mournfully. "But Regina's not
going to start in here. She done awfully well in school, too, Julia,
but, as I say, she feels she ought to get to work now. She's got an
awful sore throat, too. Muriel's started the nursing course, but I don't
believe she can go on with it, it's something fierce. All my children
have weak stomachs; she says the smell in the hospital makes her awfully
sick. I don't feel real well myself; every time I stand up--my God! I
feel as if my back was going to split in two, and yet with poor Em this
way I felt as if I had ter come. Not that I can do anything for Emeline,
but I was losing money on my boarders. I wish't you'd come out Sunday,
Julia, I cooked a real good dinner, didn't I, Ma?"

Mrs. Cox did not hear, and Julia turned to her mother.

"Made up your mind really to go, Ju?"