XII. NAN FINDS FRIENDS
So the spring days slipped away until March and April were gone and
the middle of May had come. Theodore was counting the days now, for it
was in May that the bishop was to return--so Mrs. Martin had told
him--and the boy began to watch eagerly for the word that the
housekeeper had promised to send him. So full of this were his
thoughts and so busy was he with his work for himself and for others,
that he spent much less time than usual with Nan and Little Brother.
About this time there was a week of extremely hot weather. One day
toward the close of this week as Theodore was passing Mrs. Hunt's
door, she called him in.
"You'd better come here for your supper to-night," she said.
Theodore looked at her with a quick, startled glance.
"Why--where's Nan?" he inquired.
"Nan's in her room, but she can't get you any supper to-night. She's
sick. I've seen for weeks past that Nan was overworkin' with all that
cooking she's been doin', and to-day she just gave out--an' she's flat
on her back now."
Theodore was silent in blank dismay. Until that moment he had not
realised how much he had come to depend upon Nan.
"Has she had a doctor, or anything?" he asked, in such a troubled
voice that Mrs. Hunt could not but be sorry for him.
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