"

--SHAKSPEARE.

"Why did you not send across to the hospital at the mill?" said Anne.
"Dr. Flower, receiving no second message, supposed that Captain
Heathcote had recovered."

"Well, you see, I reckon I know as much about this yer fever as the
doctors do as never had it," replied Mrs. Redd. "The captain couldn't be
moved; that was plain as day. And we hadn't a horse, nuther. Our horse
and mules have all been run off and stole."

Mrs. Redd was a clay-colored woman, with a figure which, cavernous in
front, was yet so rounded out behind that if she could have turned her
head round she would have been very well shaped. Her knowledge of the
fever was plainly derived from personal experience; she explained that
she had it "by spells," and that "Redd he has it too," and their
daughter Nancy as well. "Redd he isn't to home now, nor Nancy nuther.
But Redd he'll be back by to-morrow night, I reckon. If you want to
stay, I can accommodate you. You can have the loft, and the niggers can
sleep in the barn. But they'll have to cook for themselves. I shall be
mighty glad to have some help in tending on the captain; I'm about wore
out."

Mrs. Redd did not mention that she had confiscated the sick man's money,
and hidden it safely away in an old tea-pot, and that all her knowledge
of arithmetic was at work keeping a daily account of expenses which
should in the end exactly balance the sum. She had no intention of
stealing the money--certainly not. But of course her "just account" must
be paid. She could still work at this problem, she thought, and earn
something as well from the new-comers, who would also relieve her from
all care of the sick man: it was clearly a providence. In the glow of
this expected gain she even prepared supper. Fortunately in summer her
kitchen was in the open air, and the room where Heathcote lay was left
undisturbed.

Anne had brought the hospital medicines with her, and careful
instructions from Mary Crane. If she had come upon Heathcote before her
late experiences, she would have felt little hope, but men whose
strength had been far more reduced than his had recovered under her
eyes. Diana was a careful nurse; July filled the place of valet,
sleeping on straw on the floor. She ordered down the bed-curtains and
opened all the windows; martial law regarding air, quiet, and medicines
was proclaimed. The sick man lay quietly, save for the continued
restless motion of his head.

"If we could onl