It was so thorough and sudden as to be almost uncanny.
The old maid vanished completely, and in her place was a woman,
full to the lips with primitive emotion and pain.
"What shall I do?" she cried in a terrible voice. "Mary--Peggy--
what shall I do?"
It was almost a shriek. Peggy turned pale.
"Do you care?" she said stupidly.
"Care! Girls, I shall DIE if Malcolm MacPherson goes away!
I have been mad--I must have been mad. I have almost died of
loneliness since I sent him away. But I thought he would come back!
I must see him--there is time to reach the station before the train
goes if I go by the fields."
She took a wild step towards the door, but I caught her back
with a sudden mind-vision of Aunt Olivia flying bareheaded
and distraught across the fields.
"Wait a moment, Aunt Olivia. Peggy, run home and get
father to harness Dick in the buggy as quickly as he can.
We'll drive Aunt Olivia to the station. We'll get you there
in time, Aunty."
Peggy flew, and Aunt Olivia dashed upstairs. I lingered behind
to pick up her sewing, and when I got to her room she had her hat
and cape on. Spread out on the bed were all the boxes of gifts which
Mr. Malcolm MacPherson had brought her, and Aunt Olivia was stringing
their contents feverishly about her person.
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