With the bundle on his back and Lidey in his arms, Dave strode
homeward, his weariness forgotten. His first anxiety about his wife
was somewhat eased when he learned that Lidey had left her asleep; for
he remembered that a heavy sleep always marked the end of one of her
attacks. He only hoped that the sleep would hold her until they got
home, for his heart sank at the thought of her terror if she should
wake and find Lidey gone. As they came out on the edge of the
clearing, and saw that all was quiet in the cabin, Dave said--
"We won't tell mother nothin' about the wolves to-night, sweetie, eh?
It 'ld jest git her all worked up, an' she couldn't stand it when
she's sick. We won't say nothin' about that till to-morrow!"
"Yes!" murmured Lidey, "she'd be awful scairt!"
They were then about halfway up the slope, when from the cabin came a
frightened cry of "Lidey! Lidey!" The door was flung open, the
lamplight streamed out in futile contest with the moonlight, and Mrs.
Patton appeared. Her face was white with fear. As she saw Dave and the
little one hurrying towards her, both hands went to her heart in the
extremity of her relief, and she sank back into a chair before the
door.
Dave kicked off his snow-shoes with a dexterous twist, stepped inside,
slammed the door, and with a laugh and a kiss deposited Lidey in her
mother's lap.
"She jest run down to meet me!" explained Dave, truthfully but
deceptively.
"Oh, girlie, how you frightened me!" cried the woman, divided between
tears and smiles. "I woke up, Dave, an' found her gone; an' bein' kind
o' bewildered, I couldn't understand it!"
She clung to his hand, while he looked tenderly down into her face.
"Poor little woman!" he murmured, "you've had a bad turn ag'in, Lidey
tells me. Better now, eh?"
"I'm plumb all right ag'in, Dave, now you're back," she answered,
squeezing his hand hard. "But land's sakes, Dave, how ever did you git
all that blood on your pants?"
"Oh," said the man, lightly, "that's nothin.' Tell you about it
bime-by. I'm jest starvin' now. Let's have supper quick, and then give
old Mr. Sandy Claus a chance. Tomorrow we're going to have the
greatest Christmas ever was, us three!"