thing it wasn't poison, for seven dead kids at once--"

The Old Man knew something about sickness himself. He hurried out,
returning in a moment with a bowl of cool water and a fringed napkin
which he pilfered from the dining-room table, wisely intending to bathe
Chip's head.

But Chip would have none of him or his wise intentions. He jerked the
wet napkin from the Old Man's fingers and threw it down behind the bed,
knocked up the bowl of water into the Old Man's face and called him some
very bad names. The Countess came and looked in, and Chip hurled a
pillow at her and called her a bad name also, so that she retreated
to the kitchen with her feelings very much hurt. After that Chip had
the south room to himself until the Little Doctor returned with Johnny.

The Old Man, looking rather scared, met her on the porch. The Little
Doctor read his face before she was off her horse.

"What's the matter? Is he worse?" she demanded, abruptly.

"That's fer you t' find out. I ain't no doctor. He got on the fight,
a while back, an' took t' throwin' things an' usin' langwidge. He can't
git out uh bed, thank the Lord, or we'd be takin' t' the hills by now."

"Then somebody has it to answer for. He was all right when I left him,
two hours ago, with not a sign of fever. Has the Countess been pestering
him?"

"No," said the Countess, popping her head out of the kitchen window and
speaking in an aggrieved tone, "I hope I never pester anybody. I went