s a bad thing for her
right now. Come, let's find her and see what state she is in."

Together they left the room and entered Kate's door. As soon as the
doctor was busy with her, George slipped back into the closed room,
rolled Peter on his back and covered him, in the hope that the blood
would settle until it would efface the marks of his work before the
Coroner arrived. By that time the doctor was too busy to care much
what happened to Peter Mines; he was a poor old soul better off as he
was. Across Kate's unconscious body he said to George Holt: "I'm
going to let the Coroner make what he pleases out of this, solely for
your wife's sake. But two things: take down that shingle. Take it
down now, and never put it up again if you want me to keep still. I'll
give you what you paid for that table. It's a good one. Get him out
as soon as you can. Set him in another room. I've got to have Mrs.
Holt where I can work. And send Sarah Nepple here to help me. Move
fast! This is going to be a close call. And the other thing: I've
heard you put in an application for our school this winter. Withdraw
it! Now move!"

So they set Peter in the living room, cleaned Kate's room quickly, and
moved in her bed. By the time the Coroner arrived, the doctor was too
busy to care what happened. On oath he said a few words that he hoped
would make life easier for Kate, and at the same time pass muster for
truth; told the Coroner what witnesses to call; and gave an opinion as
to Peter's condition. He also added that he was sure Peter's family
would be very glad he was to suffer no more, and then he went back to
Kate who was suffering entirely too much for safety. Then began a long
vigil that ended at midnight with Kate barely alive and Sarah Nepple,
the Walden mid-wife, trying to divide a scanty wardrobe between a pair
of lusty twins.

CHAPTER XV

A NEW IDEA

KATE slowly came back to consciousness. She was conscious of her body,
sore from head to foot, with plenty of pain in definite spots. Her
first clear thought was that she was such a big woman; it seemed to her
that she filled the room, when she was one bruised ache from head to
heels. Then she became conscious of a moving bundle on the bed beside
her, and laid her hand on it to reassure herself. The size and shape
of the bundle were not reassuring.

"Oh, Lord!" groaned Kate. "Haven't You any mercy at all? It was Your
advice I followed when I took wing