CHAPTER XXIII SHELTER
After an interval, a light appeared; the door opened a crack, and a gruffvoice demanded what was wanted. Jack, in a few words, explained hispresence and the man immediately threw wide the door, bidding him enterand make himself at home.
"But my team--" began Jack.
The man cut him short. "I'll look after it. Go in and go to bed. Themissus will show you where."
A big dim room, with one flickering lamp; a woman wrapped in a shawl,standing in a doorway opening into another room; several figures, eachrolled in a blanket and lying near the fireplace--such a sight greetedJack as he entered.
"Here's a blanket," said the woman. "You can lie wherever you like inthis room."
She disappeared at once, and the boy spread the blanket on the floor alittle beyond the other dark, motionless figures. He rolled himself inthe blanket, and, using the mail bag for a pillow, tried to sleep. Beingexhausted, in spite of the hard bed he dropped off almost as soon as theman came in from caring for the team.
In the morning he felt stiff and sore, and his head ached, due tosleeping on the floor, he supposed. His host and hostess greeted him ascasually as if he had been dropping in there every night, and offered himbreakfast.
"My name's De Vigne," said the man, as they sat down to the table.
The three dark figures of last night still lay rolled up beside thehearth, and Jack kept looking at them as he gave his host a brief accountof his adventures. Finally, curiosity getting the better of him, heventured, "Those fellows sick?"
"Yes," answered De Vigne, glancing carelessly at them. "Flu, I guess. Oneof them is our hired man. The other fellows dropped in here last night afew hours ahead of you."
Jack was a brave boy, with no foolish dread of illness; but the flu! Thedisease which had deprived them of their father, of that he was afraid;not so much on his own account, but because of Desire. Poor girl, shemust be half frantic by now. If he'd only had some way of getting word toher. He must lose no time in starting out again.
Mr. De Vigne gave him the necessary directions for getting back on hisroute again, and an hour later he was delivering the letters which hadtaken him to that lonely section. Then he headed for home.
The sun came out and the snowy fields became dazzling. If only his headwouldn't ache so hard, and his stomach feel so queer. Probably when hegot some of Desire's good cooking, he'd be all right. Yesterday he hadn'teaten much, and he had been able to swallow very little of the breakfastprovided this morning by the De Vignes. Encouraging himself in every wayhe could, he managed to drive all the way back; and in the middle of theafternoon, put the team in its place. As he was leaving the barn, he metthe judge who had hurried out as soon as he caught sight of the opendoor.
"By Jove, boy!" he began; then stopped. "You're sick! Come right in andgo to bed. We'll take care of you."
"Desire," faltered Jack, swaying a little in the judge's grasp.
"I'll get her--Jonas! Come here and help me!"
With the aid of the hired man, the judge soon had Jack in bed in the roomnext to his own, and had sent for the doctor. Madam Lovemore was rushingaround, heating bottles, and preparing broth. The trusty Ford never madesuch good time as it did going down to the cabin and back. The snow flewin all directions as the judge forced the machine through it. Desire,worn and terrified by her night of fruitless watching, almost faintedwhen the judge appeared and told her his story. Jack's needs, however,forced her to make a desperate effort to be calm. In a very short timethe judge deposited her and the two children on his own doorstep.
"We've plenty of room," he decreed, "and you must all stay here until theboy's well."
"He's asleep now, my dear," was Madam Lovemore's greeting as she kissedDesire in the hall. "The doctor's been here; and while he's not positive,yet he thinks it's just a heavy cold."
All the hours of waiting, the anxiety, the shock, resulted in one wildburst of tears when Desire peered in at Jack, sleeping heavily, his facered, his lips drawn in tense lines. Madam Lovemore led her hastily into aroom on the opposite side of the hall, and closed the door. Sitting downin a big rocker, she drew the girl into her lap as if she had been Rene,and let her cry.
"I'm--sorry--" gasped Desire presently.
"It's only natural, you poor little girl. Have your cry out, and you'llfeel lots better. Then we'll make some plans."
Jack slept most of the day, waking once to smile feebly at Desire who wasbending over him. She could not trust herself to speak, and only kissedhim tenderly.
Under the care of good Dr. Caronne, and with the help of the delicious,nourishing foods prepared by Madam Lovemore, and the combined nursing ofthe entire household, Jack escaped the flu. After a couple of days he wasable to get up, and a week later the Wistmores returned to their ownhome; and Jack went back to work.
"We can never, never hope to repay what they have done for us," said Jackgravely, when they were talking of the kindness of their host and hostessthat night. "You children must remember that, and do everything you canfor them, every little thing."
"I will," announced Rene solemnly. "I'm goin' to marry Mad'm Lovemorewhen I grow up."
"I'm sure," said Jack, "that would be a wonderful way to repay her."
During the rest of the winter Jack used snowshoes for delivering themail, and Desire was so fascinated by them that she learned to use herbrother's when he did not need them. One day when he came from Windsor hebrought her a pair, and suggested that whenever he went on short trips,she accompany him. She was delighted, and quite often after that she leftRene at the judge's, and went skimming over the snow with her belovedbrother, dearer now than ever after the fear of losing him.
"It's so mild out that I shouldn't be surprised if we had rain,"announced Jack, when he came in from his day's work one night late in thewinter.
"Rain!" exclaimed Priscilla. "Why, it's still winter."
However, Jack proved to be a good weather prophet; for when they woke upthe following morning, rain was falling steadily, and the snow lookedsoft and dirty. That was the beginning of the break-up of winter. Eachday the sun rose higher and its rays became warmer; and each day more ofthe snow melted, softening the ground and filling streams, large andsmall, to the very brim.
The winds were softer and warmer; the birds returned and began lookingfor home sites; and the air was alive with their calls. From the newgreen of the marshes came the continuous croaking of frogs. Then thefirst wild flowers slipped quietly into bloom; the fruit trees pushed outbud after bud until they were covered with fragrant blossoms. Nova Scotiahad come to active life again after the hard winter.
The day Priscilla brought in a cluster of arbutus, there was a generalrejoicing. The delicate pink blossom is greatly prized by the people ofNova Scotia, and has been made the national flower.
"The darlings!" cried Desire, holding the tiny flowers close to her nosein order to inhale their dainty fragrance.
"Up in the woods of Prince Edward Island the Indians will be very busynow that the Mayflower--for that is the other name for arbutus--hascome," observed Jack.
"Why?" asked Priscilla, putting her bouquet carefully in water.
"As soon as the flowers appear, the young Indian braves search carefullyfor the finest specimens they can find to throw at the woman they want tomarry. It is one of their regular customs; so you can imagine how excitedthe maidens are at this time of the year."
"What a pretty custom," said Desire; but the practical, unromanticPriscilla thought it very funny, and so expressed herself as she placedthe vase in the center of the table.
"And where are the Indians?" demanded Rene.
"Nowhere near here; so don't go looking for them," ordered his brother.
Rene looked very serious for a moment, and said that he wouldn't.Apparently he had some none too pleasant recollections of one escapade infollowing Indians.
The apple orchards around Wolfville had begun to drop their sweet
pinkand white petals, and the countryside was streaked here and everywherewith the deep blue of the iris, the fleur-de-lys of France, when Jackcommented to Desire one night that they'd better take old Simon's wagonback to him.
She laughed. "You _did_ say _we_ this time. When do you want to start?"
"Could you manage it by Monday?"
"This is Friday. Why, yes, I could. What will you do about your job whileyou're gone?"
"It goes back to its regular owner," replied Jack, trying to speaklightly; adding, as Desire looked puzzled, "The old man can manage wellenough in pleasant weather. I was only a helper for the winter months,you know. When we come back for the summer, if we decide to stay here,I'll have to look for something else. I can probably get something eitherhere or at Windsor. We'll talk it over on the road."
"Shall we take the children, or leave them with Madam Lovemore? When Imentioned one day our having to go to Yarmouth, she offered to keep themif we wished."
"It would seem too much like imposing," objected Jack; "she has been sovery kind to us."
"Yes," admitted Desire; "and yet I know she's very willing."
"One thing," said Jack thoughtfully, "I hate to have Priscilla miss somany days of school, and she would have to if we took her. How would itdo if we left her and took Rene? Do you think that would be a good idea?"
"Yes; I think that would be fine, and it would even things up better.Prissy can be quite a help to Madam Lovemore, while Rene always bearswatching. I suppose Prissy won't like being left behind, though."
"Probably not; and it will seem queer to leave her. It will be the firsttime we've been separated since--"
"Yes," said Desire hurriedly, as Jack's voice faltered; "but we know thatshe will be well cared for; and after we're once gone, she'll soon getused to the new conditions."
So it was settled, and although at first Priscilla was inclined to feelinjured, by the time Monday came she was quite resigned.
"I'll have lots of automobile rides, I suppose," they overheard hersaying importantly to Rene.
"And I'll see old Simon again!" boasted the small boy; "and go on a bigboat--and--and--everything," determined not to be outdone.
The older ones smiled as they went about closing up the cabin. Theywalked as far as the judge's; and although there was no one to see her,Priscilla felt very important carrying the suitcase which held herwardrobe. There was no chance for prolonged farewells; for when theyreached their destination it was so nearly time for school that Priscillacould give them only a hasty hug and kiss apiece, before dashing down aside road toward the schoolhouse.