Susan wiped her eyes with her apron and choked.

After a while the older woman spoke feebly.

"What did hap--"

Miss Clegg cut the question off in its prime.

"I don't know as I c'n ever tell you; it's too awful even to think
of."

"But you--"

"I know, 'n' I'm goin' to. But I tell you once for all, Mrs. Lathrop,
't this'll be a lesson to me forever after 's to takin' the say-so o'
other folks unto myself. 'N' I didn't really consider 't I was doin'
so this time, f'r if I had, Lord knows I'd 'a' landed three beds atop
o' him afore I'd 'a' ever--" She stopped and shook convulsively.

"Go on," said Mrs. Lathrop, her curiosity getting the better of her
sympathy, and her impatience ranking both.

Susan ceased sobbing, and essayed explanation.

"You see, after you was gone, he said 't he _was_ pretty hot these
last nights, 'n' 't that was maybe what kept him so awfully awake. I
asked him if--if--maybe the feather-bed 'n'--well, Mrs. Lathrop, to
put the whole in a nut-shell, we settled to move him, 'n' I moved him.
I know I didn't hurt him one bit, for I'm 's handy with--at least, I