he doctor, in admiration.

"Yes, sir; but the Lord fits the back to the burden," sighed Mrs.
Winterose, resignedly.

"Have you _two_ backs?" wickedly inquired the doctor.

"What was it, sir?" asked Mrs. Winterose, doubting her own ears.

"Nothing. But just see what a storm is coming up! You'll be caught in it
if you venture out."

"Law, sir, I'm not sugar, nor likewise salt, to get melted in a little
water. And I must go, sir, please, if I am ever to see my old man alive
again," said the nurse resolutely, putting on her bonnet and shawl.

"But how are you going six miles through night and storm?"

"Mr. Lyon will not begrudge me the use of the carriage and horses and
driver as brought me here, to take me back to my husband's death-bed, I
reckon," said the old woman confidently.

"No, indeed; nor any help I can give you, dear Mrs. Winterose," said Mr.
Berners, feeling himself appealed to.

"Thanky, sir; I knowed it. And this I say: When the breath is outen my
poor old man's body I will come back to my child, holding it always more
dutiful to attend to the living as can suffer, rather than to the dead
as are at rest. And now, if you please, Mr. Lyon, to see me into the
carriage, and order Joe to drive me home, I will be obleeged to you,"
said the old woman.

Lyon Berners gave her his arm, with as much respect as if she had been a
duchess, and led her from the room.

When they reached the outer door, which the warden, in consideration of
the necessity, ordered to be opened at this unusual hour, they found the
rain pouring in torrents from a sky as black as pitch.

"A wild night to take the road, Mrs. Winterose," said Mr. Berners, as he
hoisted a large umbrella over her head.

"I don't know as I remember a wilder one, sir, since the flood of
ninety, and that was when I was a young 'oman, which wasn't yesterday.
And you'll hardly remember that, sir?"

"No," answered Lyon, hurrying her into the carriage and hastily clapping
to the door.

The turnkey on duty that night went with the carriage to unbar the outer
gate for it to pass. Notwithstanding his large umbrella he came back
drenched with rain.

"Good Lord! an't it comin' down? Another Noah's flood! Bird Creek is
boiling like a pot. It is all up in a white foam! so white that you can
see it through the darkness; and listen! you can hear it from here!"
said the turnkey as he entered the hall, shook himself, making a rain
shower around him, and proceeded to