llness--he had
gone to Colebyville to dispose of Patsie's body and secure a new team to
finish harvesting--kept him from getting the run of the affairs of the
sickroom, and enabled Elizabeth to assume the care of the invalid in her
own way. An idea once fixed in John Hunter's head was fixed, and having
accepted the plan of Doctor Morgan that Elizabeth was to be in sole charge
of care and medicine, he went his way without thrusting his suggestions
upon her, and Elizabeth, having learned not to discuss things with him,
did not speak of her work nor of anything connected with the invalid. In
fact, as soon as John entered the sickroom she went out, as one of the
best ways she knew of to avoid accidents of conversation. John came to
Hugh's bedside but little, supposing that he needed rest, and willing to
sacrifice his all to the comfort of the pale invalid. With the tears of a
woman in his heart if not in his eyes, John watched from afar the face of
the man he had been the unconscious means of injuring, and tiptoed about
the outer rooms with a fear of death which only John could feel. Another
thing kept him out of the sickroom: impressed with the idea that his
carelessness in the purchase of the first team had led up to this trouble,
he had gone to the other extreme in replacing them, and had paid three
hundred and twenty-five dollars for one of the best and most thoroughly
proven teams in the country. There were no available funds and he had been
obliged to give a note for them; this must in time come to Hugh's notice,
and John had a distinct remembrance of a former note, and did not wish to
repeat the experience. Luther, who came often to see Hugh, had spoken to
John of Patsie's death in Elizabeth's presence, and after the first pained
expression of surprise and grief, Elizabeth had never mentioned it again.
John had noticed also that Elizabeth had never asked the price of the last
team, nor seemed to take any interest in them, and he hoped by the same
means to avoid confessing to Hugh.

John Hunter was glad at this time to escape discussions of an unpleasant
nature; he was more broken by the accident than he ever admitted; he
accused himself more bitterly than any one would ever accuse him; he had
broken up a working team, he had killed his best horse, and he had been
all but responsible for the death of his best friend, and when John
Hunter's own misdeeds hit hard enough, he would face things squarely, and
no matter how h