I canna come until I've had a bath, and put on
clean clothing. Tell her to go ahead."
The child vanished. In a second she was back. "She said she won't
do it, and take all the time you want. But I wish you'd hurry,
for she won't let me either."
Dannie hurried. But the hasty bath and the fresh clothing felt so
good he was in a softened mood when he approached Mary's door
again. Tilly was waiting on the step, and ran to meet him. Tilly
was a dream. Almost, Dannie understood why Mary had brought her.
Tilly led him to the table, and pulled back a chair for him, and
he lifted her into hers, and as Mary set dish after dish of food
on the table, Tilly filled in every pause that threatened to grow
awkward with her chatter. Dannie had been a very lonely man, and
he did love Mary's cooking. Until then he had not realized how
sore a trial six months of his own had been.
"If I was a praying mon, I'd ask a blessing, and thank God fra
this food," said Dannie.
"What's the matter with me?" asked Mary.
"I have never yet found anything," answered Dannie. "And I do
thank ye fra everything. I believe I'm most thankful of all fra
the clean clothes and the clean bed. I'm afraid I was neglectin'
myself, Mary."
"Will, you'll not be neglected any more," said Mary.
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