“I’ve done all I could,” he said.

I was so sorry to hear the tone of discouragement in his voice.  He is just a man, Aunt Jennie, with a man’s weaknesses and a man’s strength, and for the moment the latter had forsaken him.  I suppose that some of his self-reliance had gone, for after a moment he smiled at us, and doubtless was glad to have friends with him and was comforted by their sympathy.

I could not help marvelling at the efficiency of the little parson, who, before they had a doctor here, was compelled to do the best he could to take care of sick people, assisted by his wife.  He questioned the doctor, who wearily told him of some things that might be done for him, but without appearing to care.  Mr. Barnett ran out of the house and up to Sammy’s, returning with some bottles.  He looked at labels ever so carefully and mixed some drugs with water, after which he wound some cotton on a stick to make a sort of a brush.

“Now sit up a little and let me fix your throat,” he said.  “Yes, you’ve got to take some of your own medicine now, old fellow.  Frenchy, you get behind him and hold him up.  The light is poor here; better bring your candle.  Miss Jelliffe, hold it just this way for me.  That’s good.  Now open your mouth, my boy.”

He swabbed the throat, in which there were ugly, white patches, so conscientiously that it brought on severe coughing, and after this he compelled the doctor to swallow some medicine.

“If keeping at it will do you any good, old man, you may depend on me.  And now we’ll have a look at that kiddie.”

I looked around the room, where there was an awful penury of all sorts of things, so that I went up to our house and brought back some provisions.  I am afraid that I established a corner in milk, for I took nearly all that the poor, lone, lean cow of Sweetapple Cove could provide.

When Mr. Barrett finally sat down I noticed that he looked quite weary and exhausted.

“Now you must go to our house,” I told him, “and get Susie to give you something to eat.  I am sure that you have had nothing since last night, and I won’t have you falling ill too.  I have arranged it all, so please don’t say anything but just go, and don’t hurry back.  There is plenty of time and poor Daddy would be so glad to see you.  I am sure it would do him a lot of good.  I can watch both the patients perfectly well.  And, Frenchy, you must go too and Susie will look after you.  You look perfectly starved, and I’m sure you’ve forgotten to have any breakfast.  Make him go with you, Mr. Barnett!”

They protested a little, but finally went out, reluctantly.

Of course I have always looked after Daddy’s comfort a good deal, but when you have plenty of servants it is very easy to do, especially when one has also an Aunt Jennie to come around from time to time and put fear in their hearts, when they don’t behave.  But it seemed to me that this was really the first time that I had tried to take charge of things, although it didn’t really amount to anything.  I suppose it comes quite naturally to a woman to boss things a little in a household.