"Read the sickest part again, Phyllie, and then turn and read the
medicine for it," he had just demanded when she fled.
And for the rest of the afternoon I sat by him and went through all
the different stages of smallpox until, feeling each one acutely as I
did, it is a wonder I was not pock-marked. When he fell asleep at last
he was holding fast to one of my hands for fear I would get away with
the precious book.
When I could slip his fingers from mine, I tried to steal tiptoe
through the hall so as not to wake Roxanne, who was lying asleep, I
hoped, on the sofa in the hall, but she opened her great, troubled,
dark eyes and saw me before I got to the door.
"Oh, Phyllis," she said and held out her arms to me. Somehow it seems
to me I have learned very quickly how to take a person I love in my
arms without awkwardness--that is for a girl who never had anybody to
take before--and I sat down and snuggled Roxanne in a manner
comfortable to us both. "Do you think it is possible that Lovey is
going to be--be blind?" she asked me in a small voice that could
hardly dare utter the horrible words.
"I came in such a hurry when Mr.
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