Nelson is hitting a
pretty lively pace for a youngster. He'll never live to reap his wild
oats, though. He came into the world with consumption, and I don't
think he will be long getting out of it. He's always getting into
difficulty. I have had to fine him twice in the past month for
gambling. Do you see anything of him, Sandy?"
"No," said Sandy, biting his lip. His pride had suffered more than
once at Carter's condescension.
"Martha Meech must be worse," said Mrs. Hollis. "The up-stairs blinds
have been closed all day."
Sandy pushed back the apple-dumpling which Aunt Melvy had made at his
special request.
"Perhaps I can be helping them," he said as he rose from the table.
When he came back he sat for a long time with his head on his hand.
"Is she much worse?" asked Mrs. Hollis.
"Yes," said Sandy; "and it's little that I can do, though she's
coughing her life away. It's a shame--and a shame!" he cried in hot
rebellion.
All his vanity of the morning was dispelled by the tragedy taking
place next door. He paced back and forth between the two houses,
begging to be allowed to help, and proposing all sorts of impossible
things.
When inaction became intolerable, he plunged into his law books, at
first not comprehending a line, but gradually becoming more and more
interested, until at last the whole universe seemed to revolve about a
case that was decided in a previous century.
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