Ellen heard him sit down, and then she guessed from the words that passed, that Mrs. Van Brunt and her little maid were busied in making the cakes; she lay quiet.
"You're a good friend, 'Brahm," began the old lady again; "nobody knows that better than me; but I hope that poor little thing has got another one to-day that'll do more for her than you can."
"What, yourself, mother? I don't know about that."
"No, no; do you think I mean myself? there, turn it quick, Sally! Miss Alice has been here."
"Just a little before dark, on her gray pony. She came in for a minute, and I took her that'll burn, Sally! I took her in to see the child while she was asleep, and I told her all you told me about her. She didn't say much, but she looked at her very sweet, as she always does, and I guess, there now I'll see after my little sleeper."
And presently Mrs. Van Brunt came to the bedside with a light, and her arm full of Ellen's dry clothes. Ellen felt as if she could have put her arms round her kind old friend, and hugged her with all her heart; but it was not her way to show her feelings before strangers. She suffered Mrs. Van Brunt to dress her in silence, only saying, with a sigh, "How kind you are to me, Maam!" to which the old lady replied with a kiss, and telling her she mustn't say a word about that.
The kitchen was bright with firelight and candlelight; the tea-table looked beautiful with its piles of white splitters, besides plenty of other and more substantial things; and at the corner of the hearth sat Mr. Van Brunt.
"So," said he, smiling, as Ellen came in and took her stand at the opposite corner "So I drove you away this morning? You ain't mad with me yet, I hope."
Ellen crossed directly over to him, and putting her little hand in his great rough one, said, "I'm _very_ much obliged to you, Mr. Van Brunt, for taking so much trouble to come and look after me."
She said it with a look of gratitude and trust that pleased him very much.
"Trouble, indeed!" said he, good-humouredly, "I'd take twice as much any day for what you wouldn't give me this forenoon. But never fear, Miss Ellen, I ain't a going to ask you that again."
He shook the little hand; and from that time Ellen and her rough charioteer were firm friends.