"Maddy," the old man said, "come sit close by me, where I can look
into your face, while we talk over what must be done."
With a half shudder, Maddy drew a stool to her grandfather's feet, and
resting her head upon his knee, listened while he talked to her of the
future; told her all her grandmother had done; told of his own
helplessness; of the trial it was to care for Uncle Joseph, and then
in faltering tones asked who was going to look after them now. "We
can't live here alone, Maddy. We can't. We're old and weak, and want
some one to lean on. Oh, why didn't God take us with her, Joseph and
me, and that would leave you free, to go back to the school and the
life which I know is pleasanter than to stay here with us. Oh, Maddy!
it comforts me to look at you--to hear your voice, to know that though
I don't see you every minute, you are somewhere, and by and by you'll
come in. I shan't live long, and maybe Joseph won't. God's promise is
to them who honor father and mother. It'll be hard for you to stay,
harder than it was once; but, Maddy, oh, Maddy! stay with me, stay
with me!--stay with your old grandpa!"
In his earnestness he grasped her arm, as if he thus would hold her,
while the tears rained over his wrinkled face. For a moment Maddy made
no response. She had no intention of leaving him, but the burden was
pressing heavily and her tongue refused to move. Maddy was then a
stranger to the religion which was sustaining her grandfather in his
great trouble, but the teachings of her childhood had not been in
vain. She was God's covenant child. His protecting presence was over
and around her, moving her to the right. New York, with its gay
sights, her school, where in another year she was to graduate, the
trip to the Catskills which Guy had promised Mrs. Agnes, Jessie and
herself, Aikenside with its luxurious ease--all these must be given
up, while, worse than all the rest, Guy, too, must be given up. He
would not come there often; the place was not to his taste, and in
time he would cease to care for her as he cared for her now. "Oh, that
would be dreadful!" she groaned aloud, while here thoughts went
backward to that night ride in the snowstorm, and the numberless
attentions he had paid her then. She would never ride with him
again--never; and Maddy moaned bitterly, as she began to realize
for the first time how much she liked Guy Remington, and how the
giving him up and his society was the hardest part of all. But Maddy
had a brave young heart, and at last, winding her arms around her
grandfather's neck, she whispered: "I will not leave you, grandpa.
I'll stay in grandmother's place."