She's in bed—suffering great pain both yesterday and to-day. It's terribly swelled—" [Pg 57] "But why doesn't she send for a doctor?" interrupted Janet, hastily. "She ought to have one if it's as bad as that." "I asked her that, too, yesterday, and she only said: 'No, no! I cannot, must not have a doctor, child!' And when I asked what I could do for her, she answered, 'I don't know, I'm sure!' So there she lies—just suffering. And—and I couldn't think of anything else to do, so I signaled to you. You are my only friends—in all this city!" There was something infinitely pathetic about the way she brought out this last statement. It touched the hearts of both her listeners, and because of it they inwardly forgave her, once and for all, for any action of hers that had offended them. And they had the good sense not to comment on the strangeness of Miss Benedict's behavior. "Well, if she won't have a doctor, we must[Pg 58] think what else there is to be done," began Janet, practically. [Pg 58] "I wish you'd let me bring Aunt Minerva in to see her," said Marcia. "She hurt her ankle just like that, two years ago, and she'd know exactly what—" "Oh, no, no!" cried Cecily, starting forward. "Miss Benedict would not want that—does not want to see any one. Please—please do not even mention to your aunt anything about her—or me! Miss Benedict would not wish it." The request was certainly very peculiar, but the girls were able to conceal their surprise, great as it was. "Very well," said Marcia, soothingly. "If you'd rather have it that way, we certainly won't speak of it. But I've just had another idea. I remember Aunt Minerva had a certain kind of salve that she used for her ankle, and she kept it tightly bandaged on. It did her lots of good—cured her, in fact. Now I believe I could get that salve at a drug-store here—" "Oh, could you?" exclaimed Cecily, in immense relief. "Let us go at once." [Pg 59] [Pg 59] "But you needn't trouble to go," said Marcia. "We won't be ten minutes and will come right back with it."
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