that chist. I never've wore
it. But if I should be taken away--I 'most think I'd like to have it put
on me."

The cool summer dawn was flowing in at the window. The solemnity of the
hour moved Clelia like the strangeness of the time. It hushed her to
composure.

"I will," she promised. "If you should go before me, I'll do everything
you want. Now you get some sleep."

But after Sabrina had shut her eyes and seemed to be drowsing off, she
opened them to say, this time with an imperative strength:--

"But don't you let it spile their good time."

"Whose, Sabrina?"

"The doin's they're goin' to have in the hall. If I should go in the
midst of it, don't you tell no more'n you can help. But I guess I can
live through one day anyways."

That forenoon she was a little brighter, as one may be with the mounting
sun, and Clelia, disregarding all entreaties to see the "doings" at the
hall, took faithful care of her. But in the late afternoon while she sat
beside the bed and Sabrina drowsed, there was a clear whistle very near.
It sounded like a quail outside the window. Clelia flushed red. The sick
woman, opening her eyes, saw how she was shaking.

"What is it, dear?" she asked.

"It's Richmond," said Clelia, in a full, moved voice. "It's his
whistle."

"You go out to him, dear," urged Sabrina, as if she could not say it
fast enough. "You hurry."

And Clelia went, trembling.

When she came back, half an hour later, she walked like a goddess
breathing happiness and pride.

"O Sabrina!" She sank down by the bedside and put her head beside
Sabrina's cheek. "He was there in the garden. He kissed me right in
sight of the road. If 't had been in the face and eyes of everybody, it
couldn't have made any difference. 'You took care of mother,' he said.
'I like your mother,' I said. 'I'd like to live with her--and aunt
Lucindy.' And he said then, Sabrina, he said then, 'We sha'n't have to.'
And Sabrina, he's been on to New York to see if he could find out
anything about the railroad that's going through to save stopping at the
Junction; and he saw Senator Gilman, and that's how the senator came
down here. He got talking with Richmond, old times and all, and he just
wanted to come. And the railroad's going through the ten-acre pasture,
and Richmond'll get a lot of money."

Sabrina's hand rested on the girl's head.

"There, dear," she said movingly. "Didn't I tell you? Don't cry till
to-morrow, an' maybe you won't have t