Through These Fires (Musaicum Romance Classics). Grace Livingston Hill

But there again she must wait until she knew the exact situation. And last, but by no means the least important, was the matter of transportation from the city for an invalid, or a supposed invalid. But that, too, would have to be accepted as a fact until the contrary was proven. And now she began to see how hard her mother's way must have been. Must she go to the expense of going down to the city after them? There was much to be done in the house to make it habitable if they were coming here. She would have no time to do it if she went to the city.

      What she finally did was to run out to a public telephone and call up the Traveler's Aid at the city station, asking the representative to meet the train and arrange for whatever way of conveyance she felt was necessary, giving a message that she was unable to meet the train herself. She made it plain that none of them had much money to spend for anything that was not a necessity, and unless the invalid felt she could afford taxis, and was utterly unable to travel otherwise, please make some other arrangement.

      The woman who answered her call was a sensible person with a voice of understanding and seemed to take in the situation thoroughly. When Lexie came out of the telephone booth there was a relieved feeling in her mind and less trouble in her eyes. At least she had provided a way of transportation, and that matter was disposed of without her having to go into the city. Now she would be able to get a bed ready for Elaine. Even if she wasn't going to stay in the house all night, there would have to be a suitable bed for her to lie down on as soon as she arrived—if she really was sick. Somehow Lexie was more and more uncertain about that. She had known Elaine so long and so well. But she climbed to the well-ordered attic, where everything was put away carefully, and searched out blankets, pillows, sheets and pillowcases, a few towels, and some soap. These would be necessities at once of course.

      As she worked, her mind was busy thinking about a most uncertain future. Trying to plan for a way ahead in which her most unwilling feet must go. Some urge within her soul forbade that she shrink back and shirk the necessity.

      Yet she was not the only one in the world who had trouble.

      CHAPTER II

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      They were fighting a war, out across the ocean. Well, she was fighting a war with herself at home. With herself? No, maybe it wasn't with herself. Maybe it was something that affected the world—that is, a little piece of it. It might even be important to the world how she took this added burden that had come upon her. Could that be possible? From God's standpoint, perhaps.

      So Lexie thought to herself as she went about swiftly putting Elaine's old room to rights, enough to rights to make a place for her to lie down when she arrived. Of course she would do her best to make her see how impossible it would be for her to stay, but there had to be a place for her to lie down.

      Hastily she made up the bed with such things as she had been able to find in the attic without unpacking too many boxes. She wanted Elaine to realize how inconvenient her coming in this sudden way had been for her. And yet all the time as she thought it she knew Elaine wouldn't realize. Elaine would just take it for granted that it was her due to be served and would probably growl at the service, too, considering it inadequate.

      She drew a deep sigh and wished with all her heart that the telegram had not arrived until she had left for college. Perhaps Elaine would have been discouraged then and gone back west. Still, of course she wouldn't. Elaine wasn't made that way. Elaine demanded service, and if it wasn't on hand where she chose to be, she turned heaven and earth until it came. Oh, why did this have to come to her after all the other hard things she had been through? Other girls had normal lives with pleasant families and nobody much to torment them. And here she was saddled not only with her unpleasant sister but also her three unknown children who would probably be as unpleasant as their parent, poor little things! And she couldn't stand it! No, she couldn't! How could a young girl only twenty, with her own way to make and her college finals just at hand, be expected to take over and bring up a family of three children, to say nothing of their mother, who probably by this time was posing as a hopeless invalid and doing it so prettily that everybody else would pity her?

      But there was no use thinking such bitter thoughts. Whatever else her sister was not, she certainly was in trouble enough now with her husband as good as dead, for that was what "missing in action" usually meant. And if she really loved him, as she said she did, it was hard of course. Although it was hard for Lexie to believe that Elaine really loved anybody but herself.

      It was perhaps fortunate for Lexie's firm resolves to be frank with Elaine and make her understand how hard she was making things, that there was very little time to relent. For Lexie's sweet temper and natural generosity were apt to make her softhearted, and if there had been a great deal of time to prepare for her unwelcome guest, she might in spite of herself have done much to make the house look homelike and livable again. But there was not much time, and there were limitations due to the fact that most of the pleasant furnishings and treasured things of the family were securely packed and locked away. It would take time to unpack, air, and put them about in their places again. That would hardly be worthwhile if Elaine was only to be there a few hours, or at most a few days. Perhaps if she was really sick she ought to go to a hospital. Although Elaine always hated the very name of hospital and refused to be sent to one, she had been there when her children were born, and perhaps had got over her foolish ideas of prejudice against it. But if she went to the hospital, what would become of the three children? Because, of course, no hospital would allow them to come when they were not sick. And there was no one, no relative, who could be called in to look after them. It would just mean that she, Lexie, would have to stay with them, and she couldn't do that. She must go back to college! For economy's sake if for nothing else, she must finish her course and get her job!

      And there she would pause and sit down in despair. Oh, why, why did this thing have to come to her just at this time when she was putting every bit of nerve and energy into an attempt to finish her course with honor and at least a degree of excellence?

      This question was still beating itself back and forth in Lexie's heart when at last she realized that it was time for the travelers to arrive, and there was nothing she could do about it but wait.

      But as time went on and nothing happened, Lexie was frantic. She decided to run down to the drugstore and telephone to that Traveler's Aid again. If she didn't get her now she would be gone, relieved by the night operator, and they might not be able to tell her anything. So closing the door and slipping the key under the old cocoa mat where they used to hide it when they were children, she hurried down the street and telephoned.

      It was some time before she succeeded in getting the Traveler's Aid and discovered that the shift had already changed and another woman was on duty. The other woman, however, could give her a little information from their record. Yes, the train had been met, the family was on board, and their representative had put them in a very good taxi. The lady had insisted on a comfortable one. It cost a little more, but she said she didn't care, and they were started off soon after arriving. "The nurse who was with them," added the woman, "seemed unwilling to remain with the case. She said she felt she had made a mistake coming, was homesick, and wanted to return west on the next train. We finally persuaded her to stay with the lady until she reached her destination, but she said she wanted you notified to get another nurse at once, as she was returning to the city with the taxi. She never expected to have to look after three children as well as a helpless patient. If we had known how to reach you we would have phoned, but they said you had no telephone. We thought you ought to know. Somebody will have to look after the lady. She seemed quite helpless."

      Lexie's heart sank as she thanked the woman and hung up the receiver. So! The atmosphere was growing blacker and blacker. Now what was she to do? Would she have to look after Elaine herself? She groaned in spirit and hurried back to the house, but as she opened the white gate she sighted a taxi coming down the road. They had come, and the fight was on! It was going to be bad, but she had to go through it somehow.

      And then the taxi stopped before the door, and three children descended in a body and stared at her and the house.

      "Is