CHAPTER IX. THE DEATH.

emostparticulartohavethelongestpossibletimetodoitin. "Aunt,"saidNina,"there'sapoorfellow,outhere,whosemistressisjustdead,allaloneinthehouse,andwantstogetsomewomantogotheretohelp.Can'tyouspareMilly?" "Millywasgoingtoclear-starchmycaps,thismorning,"saidAuntNesbit."Ihavearrangedeverythingwithreferencetoit,foraweekpast." "Well,aunt,can'tshedoitto-morrow,ornextday,justaswell?" "To-morrowsheisgoingtoripupthatblackdress,andwashit.Iamalwayssystematic,andhaveeverythingarrangedbeforehand.ShouldlikeverymuchtodoanythingIcould,ifitwasn'tforthat.Whycan'tyousendAuntKaty?" "Why,aunt,youknowwearetohavecompanytodinner,andAuntKatyistheonlyonewhoknowswhereanythingis,orhowtoservethingsouttothecook.Besides,she'ssohardandcrosstopoorpeople,Idon'tthinkshewouldgo.Idon'tsee,I'msure,insuchacaseasthis,whyyoucouldn'tputyourstarchingoff.Millyissuchakind,motherly,experiencedperson,andtheyareinaffliction." "Oh,theselowfamiliesdon'tmindsuchthingsmuch,"saidAuntNesbit,fittingonhercap,quietly"theyneverhavemuchfeeling.There'snousedoingforthem—theyaremiserablepoorcreatures." "AuntNesbit,do,now,asafavortome!Idon'toftenaskfavors,"saidNina."DoletMillygo!she'sjusttheonewanted.Do,now,sayyes!"AndNinapressednearer,andactuallyseemedtooverpowerherslow-feeling,torpidrelative,withthevehemencethatsparkledinhereyes. "Well,Idon'tcare,if"— "There,Milly,shesaysyes!"saidshe,springingoutthedoor."Shesaysyoumay.Now,hurrygetthingsready.I'llrunandhaveAuntKatyputupbiscuitsandthingsforthechildrenandyougetallthatyouknowyouwillwant,andbeoffquick,andI'llhavetheponygotup,andcomeonbehindyou."