CHAPTER XII. EXPLANATIONS.

thedoor,whereaveryblacknegrowasdismounting."Anyletters?" "No,mas'r.Ispectdemailshaveginup.Deran'tbeennolettersdere,fornoone,foramonth.Itissome'quaticdisorganizationofdeseyercreeks,Is'pose.Sodeletter-bagsgoesanywhere'ceptderrightplace." "Confounditall!Isay,youNin,"turninground,"whydon'tyouofferafellowsomesupper?Cominghome,here,inmyownfather'shouse,everybodyactsasiftheywerescaredtodeath!Nosupper!" "Why,Tom,I'vebeenaskingyou,thesethreeorfourtimes." "Blessus!"saidJim,whisperingtoHarry."Demischiefis,hean'tmorethanhalf-primed!Tellhertogivehimalittlemorebrandy,andafteralittlewewillgethimintobedaseasyascanbe!" Andtheeventprovedsofor,onsittingdowntosupper,TomGordonpassedregularlythroughallthestagesofdrunkennessbecameasoutrageouslyaffectionateashehadbeenbeforesurly,kissedNinaandAuntNesbit,criedoverhissinsandconfessedhisiniquities,laughedandcriedfeebly,tillatlasthesankinhischairasleep. "Dar,heisdonefor,now!"saidJim,whohadbeenwatchingthegradualprocess."Now,justyouandI,let'stotehimoff,"saidhetoHarry. Nina,onherpart,retiredtoatroubledpillow.Sheforesawnothingbeforeherbutmortificationandembarrassment,andrealizedmorethaneverthepeculiarlonelinessofhersituation. Forallpurposesofconsultationandaid,AuntNesbitwasnobodyinheresteem,andNinawasalwaysexcitedandvexedbyeverynewattemptthatshemadetoconfideinher. "Now,to-morrow,"shesaidtoherself,asshelaydown,"nooneknowswhatwillturnup.Hewillgoroundasusual,interferingwitheverything—threateningandfrighteningmyservants,andgettingupsomedifficultywithHarry.Dearme!itseemstomelifeiscomingovermehardenough,andallatonce,too!" AsNinasaidthis,shesawsomeonestandingbyherbed.ItwasMilly,whostoopedtenderlyoverher,smoothingandarrangingthebed-clothesinamotherlyway. "Isthatyou,Milly?Oh,sitdownhereaminute!Iamsotroubled!ItseemstomeI'vehadsomuchtroubleto-day!DoyouknowTomcamehometo-nightsodrunk!Oh,dearMilly,itwashorrid!Doyouknowhetookmeinhisarmsandkissedmeand,thoughheismyonlybrother,it'sperfectlydreadfultome!AndIfeelsoworried,andsoanxious!" "Yes,lamb,Iknowsallaboutdeseyerthings,"saidMilly."I'sseenhimmanyandmanytimes." "Theworstofitis,"saidNina,"thatIdon'tknowwhathewilldoto-morrow—andbeforeMr.Clayton,too!Itmakesmefeelsohelpless,ashamed,andmortifiesmeso!" "Yes,yes,chile,"saidMilly,gentlystrokingherhead. "Istandsomuchalone!"saidNina."OthergirlshavesomefriendorrelationtoleanonbutIhavenobody!" "Whydon'tyouaskyourFathertohelpyou?"saidMillytoNina,inagentletone. "Askwho?"saidNina,liftingupherheadfromthepillow. "YourFather!"saidMilly,withavoiceofsolemnity."Don'tyouknow'OurFatherwhoartinHeaven'?Youhaven'tforgotyourprayers,Ihope,honey." Ninalookedatherwithsurprise.AndMillycontinued,"Now,ifIwasyou,lamb,IwouldtellmyFatherallaboutit.Why,chile,Helovesyou!Hewouldn'tlikenothingbetter,now,thantohaveyoujustcometoHimandtellHimallaboutyourtroubles,andHe'llmake'emallstraight.That'sthewayIdoes,andI'sfounditcomeoutright,manyandmanyatime." "Why,Milly,youwouldn'thavemegotoGodaboutmylittlefoolishaffairs?" "Laws,chile,whatshouldyougotoHim'bout,den?Suredeseareallde'fairsyou'sgot." "Well,but,Milly,"saidNina,apprehensively,"youknowI'vebeenaverybadgirlaboutreligion.It'syearsandyearssinceI'vesaidanyprayers.Atschool,thegirlsusedtolaughatanybodywhosaidprayersandsoIneverdid.And,sinceI'veneglectedmyheavenlyFatherwhenthingswentwellwithme,itwouldn'tbefairtocallonHimnow,justbecauseI'vegotintotrouble.Idon'tthinkitwouldbehonorable." "DeLordblessdisyerchile!Dohearhertalk!JustasifdeheavenlyFatherdidn'tknowallaboutyou,andhadn'tbeenalovingandwatchingyoudewholetime!Why,chile,HeknowswhatpoorfoolishcreatureswebeandHean'tnowayssurprised,norputout.Why,laws,don'tyouknowHe'sdegoodshepherd?Andwhatyousupposedeyhasshepherdsfur,'ceptdesheepsarealldetimerunningaway,andgettingintotrouble?Why,honey,dat'swhatdey'sfur." "Well,butitissolongsinceIprayed,thatIdon'tknowanythinghowtopray,Milly." "Blessyou,chile,whowantedyoutopray?Ineverpraysmyself.Usedtotry,butImadesuchdreffulpoorworkonitthatIginitup.Now,IjustgoesandtalkstodeFather,andtellsHimanythingandeverythingandIthinkHelikesitagreatdealbetter.Why,Heisjustaswillingtohearmenow,asifIwasthegreatestladyintheland.Andhetakessuchaninterestinallmypoor'fairs!Why,sometimesIgotoHimwhenmyheartissoheavyand,whenItellsHimallaboutit,Icomesawayaslightasafeather!" "Well,but,afterI'veforgottenHimsomanyyears!" "Why,honey,nowjustlookyere!I'memberonce,whenyouwasalittleweetything,thatyoutoddlesdowndemstepsdere,andyouslipsawayfromdemdatwaswatchingyou,andyoutoddlesawayoffintodegrove,yonder,anddereyougotpickingflowers,andonethingandanother,mightytickledandpeart.Youwasdowndere'joyingyourself,till,byandby,yourpamissedyouanddensuchanotherhuntasderewas!Derewasahurryinghere,andalookingdereandfinallyyourparundownindewoods,anddereyou'dgotstuckfastindemud!bothyourshoesoff,andwellscratchedwithbriersanddereyoustoodacrying,andcallingyourpa.Itellyouhesaiddatarwasdesweetestmusicheeverheardinhislife.I'memberhepickedyouup,andcameuptodehousekissingyou.Now,dere'twas,honey!Youdidn'tcallonyourpatillyougotintotrouble.Andlaws,laws,chile,dat'sdewaywithusall.WeneverdoescallondeFathertillwegetsintotroubleandittakesheapsandheapsoftrouble,sometimes,tobringusround.Sometime,chile,I'lltellyoumysperence.I'sgotasperenceonthispoint.But,now,honey,don'ttroubleyourselfnomorebutjustaskyourFathertotakecareofyour'fairs,andturnoverandgotosleep.AndHe'lldoit.Nowyoumind." Sosaying,Millysmoothedthepillowwithanxiouscare,and,kissingNinaontheforehead,departed.