She sounded quite excited. No doubt she had just been informed of Mildred's accident and wanted to hear the details of it.
"Coming!" called Nance, hurrying down the steps. "Oh, Molly, what do you think of me for taking out the children and almost drowning Mildred? And while that was going on, little Dodo came within an ace of tumbling out of the carriage on his precious sleepy head! You will never trust them with me again."
"Nonsense! Mildred is old enough not to try to get in boats alone, and as for Dodo, Aunt Mary always said: 'Whin chilluns grows up 'thout ever gittin' a tumble, they is sho' to be idjits.'"
"Well, then, my real duty was to let him tumble," laughed Nance. "What do you want with me, honey? I am very busy."
"Not too busy to come in and talk with me a little while," insisted the wily Molly, putting her arm around her friend's waist and leading her to the library door.
"I do want to talk to you a moment," agreed Nance. "Molly, I am going away for a few weeks." They had reached the door, which was ajar, and Andy, ensconced in the sleepy-hollow chair dear to the professor's bones, could plainly hear the conversation.
"Going away! You are going to do no such thing."
"I must. There is no use in asking me why--you know why---- It is too hard for me and there is no use in pretending it is not."
"I have begun to pack and I will go to-morrow."
Instead of the hospitable protestations characteristic of Molly, that young housewife said not a word, but giving her friend a little push towards the fireplace, she grabbed up Mildred and rushed from the room, closing the door after her.
Andy undoubled himself with alacrity and sprang from the sleepy-hollow chair. His stern face was softened and filled with a boyish eagerness.
"Excuse me, Dr. McLean, I did not know you were still here," and Nance turned to leave the room.
Andy with long strides reached the door first and with his back against it held out beseeching hands.
"Yes, I'm here and am going to stay here----"
"Well, I am not! Please let me pass." Nance was filled with a righteous indignation against Molly at having played this trick on her.
"But, my dear, I must tell you what a fool I have been----"
Andy laughed. Nance had a laconic way of putting things that always tickled his humor.