"You'll have to spend some time together under the same
roof and you won't improve the situation by disagreeing.
You see, Peter, it was this way. Mr. Bennett was in town yesterday--
where, as you are aware, there is a bad outbreak of smallpox--
and took dinner in a boarding-house where one of the maids was ill.
Last night she developed unmistakable symptoms of smallpox.
The Board of Health at once got after all the people who were
in the house yesterday, so far as they could locate them, and put
them under quarantine. I came down here this morning and explained
the matter to Mr. Bennett. I brought Jeremiah Jeffries to guard
the front of the house and Mr. Bennett gave me his word of honour
that he would not let anyone in by the back way while I went
to get another policeman and make all the necessary arrangements.
I have brought Thomas Wright and have secured the services of another
man to attend to Mr. Bennett's barn work and bring provisions
to the house. Jacob Green and Cleophas Lee will watch at night.
I don't think there is much danger of Mr. Bennett's taking
the smallpox, but until we are sure you must remain here, Peter."
While listening to the doctor I had been thinking.
It was the most distressing predicament I had ever got into
in my life, but there was no sense in making it worse.
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