Her head fell back on his shoulder as he lifted her to his breast. In the darkness he stumbled across the room, groped his way to the bed, and laid her down on it. Then he found a match and lit the lamp. His hands were shaking so that he could hardly carry it. He held the light over the bed and saw, on the floor beside it, a basin half full of blood, and a crumpled pile of rags, such as he had seen her push into the kitchen range.

"Laura Lou—you've had a hemorrhage?"

Her lids fluttered open again. "Ever since that day I caught cold—"

"It's not the first?"

Her lips shaped an inaudible: "Never mind."

"But, child, child—how could you hide it from me? In God's name, why didn't you get the doctor?"

The old terror returned to her eyes as she clutched his sleeve with her weak fingers. "No, no, no … " She lifted herself up haggardly, her eyes wide with fear, like a dead body raising itself out of its grave. "Never, Vanny, never! You've got to promise me… . They'd take me away from you to some strange place, with nurses and people, where I'd never see you… . I won't go, I won't … but if the doctor comes he'll make me … and I'd rather die here… . You promise me… ."

"Of course I promise. But you won't die—you won't, I tell you!" He held her tight, burning with her fever, straining to pour his warmth and strength into her poor shuddering body; and after a while her head drooped back on the pillow, and her lids fell over her quieted eyes.

Chapter 5

The doctor said he was going to let Laura Lou stay just where she was. Evidently, then, Vance concluded, he didn't think it was so serious. What she wanted was feeding up, warmth, nursing. Vance could get a woman in to help? Oh, yes… . And sterilized ice? And fresh milk? …

Laura Lou lay back smiling, blissful, a little pink in the hollow of her cheekbones. She had emptied the glass of milk Vance had brought her, and the mild sun streamed in onto her bed. It was a day like April, the ground reeking with a sudden thaw.

Vance followed the doctor out onto the porch, and the two men stood there in silence. On the way Vance had handed to the doctor the sum that was owing him; and the doctor, who was a good fellow, and no doubt saw how things were, had said: "Oh, see here—there's no sort of hurry… ." After that they stood and looked for a while at his mud-spattered Ford, which had dug its way down the lane through the morass of the thaw.

"You'll be back soon?" Vance asked, wondering how to let the doctor know that there would be no trouble now about paying for his visits.