UNA'S ACCIDENT
THE garden which surrounded Coombe Villa was what is generally called
a wilderness garden, because plants and flowers of all descriptions
and colours grew together, and flourished unchecked. On the morning
following that day when Una had been told the secret which had given
her so much joy she arose early, and went into the garden to have a
run before breakfast with Crack. The little girl and her dog raced
round the garden paths together till both were tired, and presently Mr.
Manners joined them.
"Come and look at the flowers, Una," he said, "and gather a bouquet for
the breakfast table. We will have some of these pansies to begin with.
I believe there are some lilies of the valley in that shady corner!"
Una darted away to look, and returned with a few sprays.
"How sweet they are!" she exclaimed. "Father, I do love flowers, don't
you?"
"Yes, my dear, certainly I do. Some one once called them the 'poetry of
the Creator'; was not that a beautiful thought?"
"Granfer does not care for flowers much," Una remarked; "that seems
strange, does it not?"
"To you, no doubt; but there are a great many people who do not like
flowers, just as others do not like poetry or music. By the same rule,
there are those who cannot admire a fine view, but I am glad my little
girl loves beauty and can appreciate the crowning works of God."
Una glanced up into her father's face, and, meeting his smile with one
equally bright and loving, she cried:
"Oh, father dear, I am so happy to-day! I can't help thinking of
Granfer, and of how glad he will be when his son comes home! I hope he
will come very soon!"
Mr. Manners was silent, but he kissed his little daughter's upturned
face tenderly; and then they went indoors to see if breakfast was
ready, and Una busied herself in arranging her flowers in the little
glasses that always ornamented the table at meal times.
The morning passed uneventfully. Una learnt her lessons as usual, and
in the afternoon went for a long walk with Nanny, returning by way of
Lowercoombe Farm, where they found only Mrs. Maple at home, Granfer
having gone to the village, and the little girls not having as yet
returned from school.
Mrs. Maple and Nanny enjoyed a long chat together, during which Una was
allowed to wander where she pleased. She inspected the fowl-houses and
cowsheds and stables, finally venturing to climb a few rungs of the
ladder which led to the hay loft. But she was unaccustomed to climbing,
and grew dizzy when she looked down and realised she was some feet from
the ground. She commenced to retrace her way, feeling rather nervous
and shaky, when suddenly she made a false step, missed her footing, and
fell upon the hard stone floor of the stable, with one foot doubled
back under her.
At first she was too faint to utter a sound, but presently when she
tried to move, and a sharp twinge of pain in her foot told her she had
injured it, she called aloud for assistance. Mrs. Maple and Nanny came
running to her immediately, the latter in a terrible fright when she
caught sight of the little girl's pale face.
"Oh, my darling!" cried the faithful woman. "What has happened?"
"I fell off the ladder, Nanny," Una responded faintly, her lips
quivering with pain, "and I have hurt my foot!"
Nanny lifted the child in her strong arms and forthwith carried her
into the house, followed by Mrs. Maple, and placed her on the settle in
the kitchen whilst she proceeded to draw off the boot and stocking from
the injured limb. The foot was already beginning to swell, and Nanny's
face was full of concern as she examined it, and poor Una winced at
every touch.
"It is a bad sprain, I fear," Mrs. Maple said. "She cannot possibly
walk home!"
"And she is too heavy for me to carry!" Nanny exclaimed. "What is to be
done?"
"Why, she must stay here with us," Mrs. Maple answered promptly. "We
will do the best we can for her!"
"Oh no, no!" Una cried; then, fearing she appeared rude and ungrateful,
she looked appealingly at Mrs. Maple and exclaimed: "I would so much
rather go home, please, because father would be so lonely without me.
If Nanny would go and tell him that I have hurt my foot, and cannot
walk, he would come and carry me back."
"Yes, I think that would be the best plan," Nanny agreed. "Is the pain
very bad, dearie?"
Una nodded. Her eyes were full of tears, but she bravely tried not to
cry, and to smile cheerfully.
"I will start at once," Nanny continued. "Keep up your spirits, Miss
Una, I shall not be long!"
After her nurse had gone Mrs. Maple brought Una a glass of milk and a
slice of home-made cake. The little girl sipped the milk and tried to
eat the cake, but she was in too much pain to do more than nibble a
small bit, and Mrs. Maple, seeing the state of the case, did not press
her to eat, but talked to her in her bright, cheerful fashion till Una
smiled in spite of her suffering. Then, Nellie and Bessie returned from
school, and were much concerned to find their little friend had met
with an accident, and asked her scores of questions.
"Why, I've been up and down that ladder ever so many times," Nellie
declared, "and I never fell off once! It's not in the least difficult
to climb!"
"Ah, but Miss Una is not used to climbing, I expect," Mrs. Maple put in
kindly.
"No," Una agreed with a rueful smile, "and I wish I had never tried!"
Nanny was as good as her word, and was not long absent. She returned in
less than half an hour with her master. At the sight of her father all
Una's fortitude gave way, so that when he sat down on the settle and
lifted her upon his knee she laid her head upon his shoulder, and burst
into a flood of tears.
He consoled her as best he could.
"Don't cry, my darling," he whispered, "you'll make yourself ill if
you do, and though you have given your foot a nasty twist, I dare say
you'll soon be running about as well as ever again."
Una tried to suppress her sobs, and Mr. Manners turned to Mrs. Maple
with a smile.
"It was good of you to offer to keep my little girl here," he said
courteously, "and I am most deeply grateful to you for your kindness;
but I think I had better carry her home. She is not used to being away
from me, for you see she is my only child, and we have never been
parted."
"That I can understand, sir," Mrs. Maple replied. "I know she must be
very dear to you."
"Perhaps you will allow Nellie and Bessie to come and see her every day
until her foot is better?"
"Yes, certainly, sir!"
"Thank you. Now Una, my darling, you must try to be brave, because I am
going to carry you home, and however gentle I am, I fear I shall hurt
your poor foot a little. Say good-bye to your friends now!"
Una lifted her face from her father's shoulders, and turned it towards
the motherly countenance of Mrs. Maple. The kind woman kissed the
little girl affectionately.
"I hope you will soon be well again, my dear," she said gently.
"Good-bye!"
"Good-bye," Una answered, "and please give my best love to Granfer!"
Then she was borne off in her father's arms, whilst Nanny hurried on
in front to make preparations for the little invalid. Mrs. Maple,
with Nellie and Bessie at her side, stood at the door watching the
retreating figures.
"Isn't he a nice gentleman, mother?" Bessie said. Then, receiving no
reply, asked: "What are you thinking about, mother?"
"I was thinking that Mr. Manners is very like someone I used to know
years ago," she answered with a sigh. "When he spoke, I declare the
sound of his voice gave me quite a shock, and I could have almost
thought it was my brother David, especially when he was talking to his
little girl!"
"Is Mr. Manners really like Uncle David?" Nellie enquired eagerly. "If
so, I think I should love Uncle David dearly!"
Mrs. Maple smiled, but her face remained thoughtful, and all that
evening she was puzzling over the wonderful likeness between Una's
father and her lost brother. She was unusually silent, and said but
little about Mr. Manners to Granfer; but when she was alone with her
husband she told him how she had been struck by the artist's appearance
and voice.
The farmer listened in surprise.
"Why surely, Mary, you do not mean to say you think this Mr. Manners is
your brother David?" he exclaimed in incredulous accents.
"I do not know what to think," she replied; "perhaps I am foolish and
fanciful, but he was so like what David might be if he were alive! Oh,
if God would only send David home!"