第72章

That spring it was set to rights unusually early, several women installed as housekeeper, cook, and nurses, and when the May days grew bright and warm, squads of pale children came to toddle in the grass, run over the rocks, and play upon the smooth sands of the beach.A pretty sight, and one that well repaid those who brought it to pass.

Everyone took an interest in the "Rose Garden," as Mac named it, and the womenfolk were continually driving over to the Point for something for the "poor dears." Aunt Plenty sowed gingerbread broadcast; Aunt Jessie made pinafores by the dozen while Aunt Jane "kept her eye" on the nurses, and Aunt Myra supplied medicines so liberally that the mortality would have been awful if Dr.Alec had not taken them in charge.To him this was the most delightful spot in the world­and well it might be, for he suggested the idea and gave Rose all the credit of it.He was often there, and his appearance was always greeted with shrieks of rapture, as the children gathered from all quarters­creeping, running, hopping on crutches, or carried in arms which they gladly left to sit on "Uncle Doctor's" knee, for that was the title by which he went among them.

He seemed as young as any of his comrades, though the curly head was getting gray, and the frolics that went on when he arrived were better than any medicine to children who had never learned to play.It was a standing joke among the friends that the bachelor brother had the largest family and was the most domestic man of the remaining four, though Uncle Mac did his part manfully and kept Aunt Jane in a constant fidget by his rash propositions to adopt the heartiest boys and prettiest girls to amuse him and employ her.

On one occasion Aunt Jane had a very narrow escape, and the culprit being her son, not her husband, she felt free to repay herself for many scares of this sort by a good scolding, which, unlike many, produced excellent results.

One bright June day, as Rose came cantering home from the Point on her pretty bay pony, she saw a man sitting on a fallen tree beside the road and something in his despondent attitude arrested her attention.As she drew nearer he turned his head, and she stopped short, exclaiming in great surprise: "Why, Mac! What are you doing here?""Trying to solve a problem," he answered, looking up with a whimsical expression of perplexity and amusement in his face which made Rose smile till his next words turned her sober in a twinkling: "I've eloped with a young lady, and don't know what to do with her.I took her home, of course, but mother turned her out of the house, and I'm in a quandary.""Is that her baggage?" asked Rose, pointing with her whip to the large bundle which he held while the wild idea flashed through her head that perhaps he really had done some rash deed of this sort.

"No, this is the young lady herself." And, opening a corner of the brown shawl, he displayed a child of three­so pale, so thin and tiny that she looked like a small scared bird just fallen from the nest as she shrank away from the light with great frightened eyes and a hand like a little claw tightly clutched a button of Mac's coat.

"Poor baby! Where did it come from?" cried Rose, leaning down to look.

"I'll tell you the story, and then you shall advise me what to do.At our hospital we've had a poor woman who got hurt and died two days ago.

I had nothing to do with her, only took her a bit of fruit once or twice, for she had big, wistful sort of eyes that haunted me.The day she died I stopped a minute, and the nurse said she'd been wanting to speak to me but didn't dare.So I asked if I could do anything for her and, though she could hardly breathe for pain­being almost gone­she implored me to take care of baby.I found out where the child was, and promised I'd see after her for the poor soul couldn't seem to die till I'd given her that comfort.I never can forget the look in her eyes as I held her hand and said, 'Baby shall be taken care of.' She tried to thank me, and died soon after quite peacefully.Well, I went today and hunted up the poor little wretch.Found her in a miserable place, left in the care of an old hag who had shut her up alone to keep her out of the way, and there this mite was, huddled in a corner, crying 'Marmar, marmar!' fit to touch a heart of stone.I blew up at the woman and took the baby straightaway, for she had been abused.It was high time.Look there, will you?"Mac turned the little skinny arm and showed a blue mark which made Rose drop her reins and stretch out both hands, crying with a tender sort of indignation: "How dared they do it? Give her to me, poor little motherless thing!"Mac laid the bundle in her arms, and Rose began to cuddle it in the fond, foolish way women have­a most comfortable and effective way, nevertheless­and baby evidently felt that things were changing for the better when warm lips touched her cheeks, a soft hand smoothed her tumbled hair, and a womanly face bent over her with the inarticulate cooings and purrings mothers make.The frightened eyes went up to this gentle countenance and rested there as if reassured; the little claw crept to the girl's neck, and poor baby nestled to her with a long sigh and a plaintive murmur of "Marmar, marmar" that certainly would have touched a stony heart.

"Now, go on.No, Rosa, not you," said the new nurse as the intelligent animal looked around to see if things were all right before she proceeded.