Rosemary | Page 4

of paper
in the other's hand.
"I can do it any time before to-morrow morning," Winnie explained.
"It's the laundry list and I have about everything counted up. The man
comes Wednesdays."
"Where are the girls?" asked the visitor, her quick eyes roving
approvingly around the immaculate kitchen. "Did the poor lady get off
safely?"
"The girls are in bed," said Winnie, taking the questions in order. "They
were worn out and I told 'em bed was the best place for them to be.
They've lost all their good sensible habits these last two weeks and it's
glad I am the young doctor is going to be here to look after 'em. They
need to be settled down if ever anybody did."
"And Mrs. Willis? She will really get well?" urged Mrs. Hollister.
Winnie's face changed. Her eyes softened.
"They all say she will be better than she's been for years, bless her! All
of 'em, Dr. Hurlbut, that big specialist that came from New York, and
Dr. Jordan and Doctor Hugh, who's as good as any of them if he is
young, all of 'em say if she only rests a year in this sanatorium and
doesn't have to worry we'll never know she was sick."
"She was taken sudden, wasn't she?" asked the visitor. "Mamie said

you found her, Winnie."
Winnie snapped on the light for the summer dusk was deepening into
dark.
"That I did," she answered. "I'll never forget it, never. I was going up to
her room to ask her whether I should wait for the butter and egg woman
or send down to the store and in the upstairs hall I walked right into her,
lying so still and white on the floor. I got her on the bed myself and
sent Rosemary flying down to Dr. Jordan's office for Dr. Hugh. Dr.
Jordan came up with the young doctor and they got the trained nurse
and for over a week we didn't know whether the dear lady would stay
with us or not. Then she got a little better and Dr. Hugh wanted her to
go off to this sanatorium place, but she wouldn't hear of it till the
specialist put in his word and all three doctors promised her she'd be
cured."
"They say Dr. Hugh is going to take Dr. Jordan's practice," said Mrs.
Hollister irrelevantly.
"I don't know who 'they' are, but for once they've told the truth," said
Winnie a bit tartly. "Dr. Jordan is going away for two months, or three,
and Dr. Hugh is to look after his office and patients. He may settle
down in Eastshore, if he likes it well enough."
Winnie did not add what she, as a confidante of the family, had heard
discussed, namely that Dr. Hugh would likely buy the practice of Dr.
Jordan who was an old man and anxious to retire from active service.
"Dr. Hurlbut came down in a great big car this afternoon and took Mrs.
Willis," Winnie went on, "Dr. Hugh went with her and he's coming
back in the morning. The girls behaved beautifully and not one of 'em
cried till their mother was well out of sight."
"Well I should say you'll have your hands full with the housekeeping,"
was Mrs. Hollister's next comment. "I don't suppose you can depend on
much help from the girls, though Rosemary is old enough to do
considerable if she's a mind to. How old is she now?"

"Twelve," replied Winnie. "But you musn't think I'm to do everything,
Mrs. Hollister. Miss Trudy Wright is coming to-morrow, to stay till
Mrs. Willis gets home."
"Who's she?" asked Mrs. Hollister bluntly. "Anybody you can rely on?"
"I'm not saying I don't like her, for I do," said Winnie with admirable
conservatism, "Miss Wright means well, if ever a woman did. She's the
half sister of Mrs. Willis's husband and she sets great store, she's
always saying, by her dead brother's family."
"You don't sound as if you were so terribly pleased," said Mrs.
Hollister shrewdly. "Does she put her nose into things that are no
concern of hers?"
"No, I wouldn't say that for her," answered Winnie. "I don't know as
there is any one thing I can put my finger on. Of course she has never
been in charge of the house before--it will be queer to be taking orders
from her. She's been here off and on, making visits and she never
bothered me. Mrs. Willis, poor dear, went away feeling sure that the
girls would be well looked after and I'd be the last one to think of
disturbing her thoughts. But, between you and me, Mrs. Hollister, Miss
Wright can't manage a family like this. She just hasn't got it in her."
"You mean the girls are