"That was a very nice little lady that gave me one apple with the brown coat."
"She? yes, she'll do; but we're going off the handle, you and I. What's the good of talking about the best on 'em if Katharine Allen has got to be hung! As I was a saying--when you would go on about wimmen folks in gineral, as if I cared any thing about them--as I was a saying, she never hurt that baby no more than I did. It went off and buried itself up in the snow--stealing Katy's shawl to wrap itself up in, then took cold and went into a conniption fit just out of spite. Them little sojers are up to all sorts of tricks; don't I know 'em!"
"I am sure it died of its own accord," said Paul.
"Of course; anybody but a squire would a found that out long ago."
"And she would be much glad to have the little baby back again."
"Wall, I don't know about that," said Tom, shaking his head doubtfully; "Katharine Allen's got some sense, I reckon; squalling must come unnatral in that ar house--now I leave it to you."
"Both on 'em, for all what I know, without you and I stand up to the rack like men, and tell the laws, and squires, and constables to go to old scratch."
"Well, I don't just know; but he's a feller that's always about times like this."
"But hadn't we better let the laws, and the squires, and all the rest alone, and try very much to help her?" suggested Paul.
"In course we had; I only threw them in sort of promiscuous. Now I'll tell you what my idee is: Katharine is getting stronger every day, you know."
"Yes," said Paul; "she sat up in a chair this morning, and eat very little _déjeuner_--breakfast, I mean--and the man--that great big man that sits on the hearth always--said she was getting much strong, and the window is too near the ground--not safe."
"Did he say that?" inquired Tom, breathlessly.
"Yes; the man said that. Then madame--that is the old mother--she look frightened very much, and said, no take the poor sick child away too soon. Then the man said up-stairs was best--high from ground, very sure."
"That's bad," muttered Tom. "Ladders are scarce and heavy to lift."
"So," continued Paul, "they move my bed into another room, and take up many things for her, because the man thinks it sure."
"Well," cried Tom, coming out in force, "'what can't be cured must be endured,' as par says. There may be a ladder about Mrs. Allen's premises. To-morrow morning, when I come after you, we'll just take a survey there. About that cuffy friend of yourn, I want to have some talk with him. When there's ladders to be used, I'm afraid you and I couldn't come quite up to the scratch."