As she walked through the
frosty twilight she thought of the promise made to Naomi Holland,
years ago.
Christopher saw her coming and waved her back.
"Don't come any nearer, Eunice. Didn't Caroline tell you? I'm
taking smallpox."
Eunice did not pause. She went boldly through the yard and up
the porch steps. He retreated before her and held the door.
"Eunice, you're crazy, girl! Go home, before it's too late."
Eunice pushed open the door resolutely and went in.
"It's too late now. I'm here, and I mean to stay and nurse you,
if it's the smallpox you've got. Maybe it's not. Just now, when
a person has a finger-ache, he thinks it's smallpox. Anyhow,
whatever it is, you ought to be in bed and looked after. You'll
catch cold. Let me get a light and have a look at you."
Christopher had sunk into a chair. His natural selfishness
reasserted itself, and he made no further effort to dissuade
Eunice. She got a lamp and set it on the table by him, while she
scrutinized his face closely.
"You look feverish. What do you feel like? When did you take
sick?"
"Yesterday afternoon. I have chills and hot spells and pains in
my back. Eunice, do you think it's really smallpox? And will I
die?"
He caught her hands, and looked imploringly up at her, as a child
might have done. Eunice felt a wave of love and tenderness sweep
warmly over her starved heart.
"Don't worry.
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