"
"Merely put legs on a light board so that the weight of the plates will
be lifted from the sick person's legs as he sits up in bed."
"What's to prevent the plates sliding off?"
"Nothing if he's much of a kicker, I should say," laughed Roger; "but
you could put a little fence an inch or two high at the back and sides
and keep them on board."
"You'd better begin them right off," said Mrs. Schuler dryly, "for here
they come."
She disappeared around the corner and the young people followed to see
what was the matter.
Trouble there was in very truth. Mrs. Paterno led the way stumbling
and running. Her face was flushed a deep, threatening crimson and her
breath came fast. By the arm she held little Pietro, who from
exhaustion had ceased to scream and merely gave a gulping moan when the
gravel scraped his bare knees as his mother jerked him along regardless
of whether he was on his feet or whether she dragged him. Behind them
at some distance came Mrs. Tsanoff carrying her baby in her arms--one
of the twins that always seemed to be merely "holding on to life by the
tips of its fingers," to use Gertrude's expression, and now seemed to
have lost even that frail hold.
Pages:
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72