Augusta Huiell Seaman

“ She was worse than useless. Tomkins was nowhere to be found, and then I realized that this was no doubt his afternoon off and that he had gone to the village. Mr. Cookson was away, too, and so was Miss Carstair. I did have sense enough to call up the doctor at once. He wasn’t in, but his wife said she knew where he was and would telephone him to come immediately.
I had just decided to call up Mother and ask her to come right over, and had even taken down the receiver, when who should walk in at that moment but Miss Carstair. I never was so delighted to see any one in my life. ”

“ If I could have seen Tomkins alone, I would have given it to him. But there’s no one else I’d trust it with—certainly not old Cookson!”
“Well, I guess not!” cried Connie. “I think it’s just as well that we have it in our own keeping. But, Elspeth, what do you suppose caused Uncle to have that trouble? Do you think it was anything in the chest that disturbed him?” ”

“ Tomkins was to go with him, but she was to remain here with Connie, and she said I had better arrange to sleep over here too, so that we could all be company for each other in the big, lonely house. Of course, I knew, almost without asking, that Mother would want me too.
It was a strange supper that Miss Carstair and I had alone together that evening at Tranquillity. Mr. Cookson had complained of a headache and said he would just have some tea and toast in his room. Neither of us said much, though Miss Carstair tried very hard to be cheerful. ”

“ There are many curious things that transpire in a lifetime—and I have lived long. I have seldom been taken unawares, but I confess that I was—on Thursday. A chapter, a painful one, that I had long thought closed, was reopened. It was like a thunderbolt. But it is over now, I trust. Some day, perhaps, I may tell thee about it—but not now, not now.” Just then the carriage drove up. (Uncle still likes to ride in the carriage on mild days, behind those beautiful horses. When it storms he uses the limousine.) ”