CHAPTER XVIIAN ERRAND OF MERCY
The Girls’ Guildwas a growing and popular institution by this time. Mothers declared it a great help, for they could trust their girls to be in the old church vestry on Saturday afternoons, instead of parading High Street in imitation of some of their older sisters.
The boys had recently opened a gymnasium in the basement of the Public Library Building, and Marty Day and his chums seldom hung around the livery stable or the groceries nowadays. Their younger sisters were given the opportunity to enjoy themselves in an innocent yet lively way under Janice’s management and Mrs. Middler’s care.
Janice had been unable to get Virginia Trimmins and the two sisters nearest her age to the Guild. The black-haired girl repulsed every attempt Janice made to lead her.
Not that she wouldn’t stop to talk to Janice now. Indeed, almost every day that the Kremlin car bore Janice through the wood, Jinny exchanged a few words with her. Almost always the black-hairedgirl bore the sickly baby, wrapped in a ragged blanket, in her arms.
“Haven’t you had the doctor see him?” asked Janice, pitying the poor little fellow’s peaked face and his staring, almost expressionless, eyes.
“Doctors cost money, Pap says,” muttered Jinny. “We ain’t got none. We hain’t never done had none!” she added desperately.
“I am sure Doctor Poole would be able to help the little fellow if you would take him to his office,” suggested Janice.
“He’d want money, too.”
“No. I am sure he would help the baby for nothing. He is the health inspector of Polktown and gets a salary for it.”
“Pap wouldn’t like it if I took him,” said Jinny reflectively. “An’ I couldn’t kerry him so far.”
“I’d take you both in the car,” urged Janice.
“Nop,” said Virginia Trimmins, shaking her obstinate head. “I don’t want no ride in your car. I reckon Buddy is a-gittin’ better,” and she walked away with the poor little fellow.
But there came a day when, as Janice drove up to the clearing in the wood, she heard screams and wailing from the cabin. The door was open but nobody appeared. She stopped the car and jumped out, venturing to run to the door.
“Oh! what is the matter?” she inquired, looking in.
All the children except Virginia and the smaller ones were off in the woods somewhere. The mother sat in a sway-backed rocker and moaned to herself as she swung to and fro, her dirty apron over her head. Virginia was hovering over the trundle bed in the corner, and Janice, receiving no answer, tiptoed to her side.
The poor little baby lay on the outside of the bed. A single glance told the dreadful story. He was in convulsions.
“Jinny! Jinny!” murmured Janice, seizing the black-haired girl by the arm. “He must have a doctor! Let me get Doctor Poole!”
“No, no!” wailed the mother, who heard her. “His pappy can’t never pay for no doctor comin’ yere.”
Jinny looked into Janice’s face dumbly. The latter motioned to her quickly, whispering:
“Wrap him up. Bring him quickly to the car. We’ll take him to the doctor in spite of everything!” and as the other still hesitated, she demanded:
“Do you want to see him die, you cruel girl?”
At that the black-haired girl wrapped the blanket around the suffering baby and started for the door.
“You want yo’ pappy should skin you alive, Jinny?” shrieked her mother, but unable to rise.
“Let him skin!” returned Virginia, as she darted out of the door. Janice ran after her, and both girls leaped into the car. Janice started it instantlyand the Kremlin darted away along the wood road, quickly leaving the squatters’ cabin out of sight.
The two girls scarcely spoke a word all the way to Polktown. Janice drove the car just as fast as she dared, and kept her eyes on the road ahead. Virginia Trimmins hung over the baby boy, her hungry eyes watching every change in his poor, pinched features.
The car flew along the wood road and out upon the main highway. Elder Concannon’s place was in sight when suddenly a tall figure rose up out of the bushes beside the road. It quite startled Janice, although she almost instantly recognized the Elder himself.
The severe old man held his watch in his hand as the car dashed by. Janice knew very well that she was exceeding the county speed limit; but she would have pulled down just then for little less than a gattling gun. And right ahead—they were on him in less than a minute—was the constable, who darted out from behind a hedge, likewise with his watch in his hand.
“Stop that there car!” he yelled, holding up an admonitory hand.
It was a trick. Janice knew instantly that the Elder and the constable had engineered it particularly to catch her. She had been already told that the Elder had reported more than once that sheexceeded the allowed speed for automobiles in passing his house.
She not only exceeded the speed now, but she refused to obey the constable’s mandate. To stop and try to explain to the two angry and excited old men would delay getting for little Buddy Trimmins the medical attention he needed.
Janice did not even hesitate.
The Kremlin car roared past the constable, who was fairly dancing at the edge of the highway, and in a flash was out of sight. Janice knew her escape was but for the moment. The Elder would undoubtedly press the case against her. She would have to pay for refusing to stop, as commanded; and her punishment might be severe.
These thoughts flashed through her mind, it is true, but her heart was set upon getting to Dr. Poole’s. All the time she was praying silently that the good physician might be at home and able to do something to help the baby.
They roared down into High Street, the car going just as fast as she had ever dared drive it. Fortunately there was not a vehicle in sight; but pedestrians halted to watch her in wonder as she drove on and stopped abruptly before the door of the doctor’s office.
Virginia seemed dazed. The baby lay in her lap, unconscious—Janice feared he scarcely breathed. But the older girl leaped out and ran up the walkto the office door. It opened before she touched the knob and the doctor himself appeared.
“Who’ve you run over, Janice Day?” he demanded. “I’ve been expecting it, and I saw you coming!”
“It’s the little Trimmins baby. He’s in convulsions, Doctor. Do, do help him!”
“Convulsions? Run over? Strange result, Janice.”
“Oh, don’t wait! it wasn’t I!” gasped the girl. “Don’t you see? I found him in convulsions at their house and I made Jinny bring him on in my car.”
“Hah!” grunted the physician, and strode out to the sidewalk, where a curious little crowd was gathering. One glance at the baby’s face, and he exclaimed:
“Bring him in! Quick, child!”
This awoke the black-haired girl. She hugged the baby to her thin breast and jumped out of the automobile. Dr. Poole hurried her into the office and shut out the prying neighbors. Janice was the only one he allowed to help him—and he found her during the next few minutes a very practical helper, indeed.
“Child! you ought to be a nurse,” he said finally, when he could talk again. “You’re as handy as an old woman, and lots sprier. Now, now! he’s comingout all right. You brought him just in time. Tell me about it.”
Janice told the story, and Virginia never said a word. She was a strange, silent child in the company of adults. But she watched everything that the doctor did for the baby and, without doubt, could repeat all his ministrations herself if little Buddy had another ill turn.
“The old Elder held a watch on you, too?” chuckled the doctor, when he heard the last of Janice’s tale. “That means business, then, Janice. Like enough, they’ll put you in jail for the rest of your natural life. It’s a terrible situation.”
“Don’t make it out worse than it is, please, Doctor,” she begged, with a rather feeble smile. “I am afraid they will make trouble.”
“I know they will!” declared Dr. Poole, with assurance. “But we’ll fix it so they’ll not do it till to-morrow. I’ll drive little sissy here and the baby back to their home. I want to see that Trimmins man, anyway.”
“He ain’t got no money, Pappy hain’t,” here interposed Virginia gruffly.
“But he’s got some little common sense, I hope!” snapped the good doctor. “If he hasn’t, I’ll feel like knocking some into him. I’m going to treat this child and I’m going to cure him; and I’m not going to have ignorance and laziness stand in the way of his growing up to be a bright, hearty boy.
“I’ve thought,” said Dr. Poole reflectively, “that you children living up there in the woods were all hearty and healthy, if you were not much else. Perhaps I’ve neglected my duty about you; I’m not going to do so any more.
“There, Janice Day!” he added, turning again to her, “you are forever starting something in this town. I’m inclined to think you are a regular nuisance—I had enough to do before.”
“Really, Doctor,” murmured Janice mildly. “This was quite involuntary. I couldn’t very well let the poor little thing die.”
“Hah! neither can I,” grunted Dr. Poole. “That’s what I mean. I’ve got todo somethingabout these Trimmins people. I can see that plainly. I don’t know that I’m so dreadfully grateful to you for awakening my conscience in their behalf.”
Janice drove home carefully, glad that little Buddy Trimmins was out of danger; but it must be confessed that she feared what the morrow—Saturday—would bring forth regarding her breaking of the speed law on her errand of mercy.